"Of all the idiotic, irresponsible, disobedient acts you have committed, Potter, this is the most inexcusable," Severus raged.  "And for you and your little gang of miscreants, that is saying something!"

Harry cowered in his seat, his head bowed, his small hands plucking nervously at his robes.  From the moment he had entered Snape's quarters, he had cringed under the Potion Master's angry tirade, refusing to meet his gaze.

"I hope you enjoyed your little prank, for you will pay dearly for it, I promise you."

"Please don't take points, Professor!" Harry looked up now in obvious panic.  "Please, sir!  Professor McGonagall already took fifty each from us, and. . .and everyone in Gryffindor hates us! They'll kill me if I lose more!  Please, Professor!" he pleaded desperately.

Severus scowled at him.  He knew about the points, of course - and the hostile response from the boy's housemates.  He had been pleasantly surprised that McGonagall had been so harsh - he had expected her to let the Golden Boy off lightly, as Albus no doubt would have.  But he had not been happy about Draco's penalty, and wasn't inclined to be lenient.

"I believe she also took points from Draco Malfoy," Snape retorted.  "And assigned the same detention.  He was the victim of your prank, was he not?"

"He. . .Malfoy was spying on us, sir. . . he just wanted to get us into trouble!  He's a dirty snitch!" Harry protested crossly.

"Professor McGonagall seems to think you purposely lured him out after curfew with the intention of discrediting him.  Is this true?"

"No, sir," Potter denied sullenly.  "We didn't plan that. It's his own fault! If he hadn't been trying to catch us out, he wouldn't have got himself in trouble."

Snape didn't refute this claim, as he suspected it was mostly true.  He had already dismissed Draco's whining complaints, and had refused to intercede for him. If the spoiled boy was to learn accountability, he needed to suffer the consequences of his actions.

Snape refocused his diatribe back to Potter.  "That still does not excuse your behavior.  What were you doing out of your dorm at that hour?  Why were you in the Astronomy Tower? And what was all that nonsense about a dragon?"

"Nothing. . . we weren't doing anything. . . we were just exploring," Harry muttered, not meeting Snape's eyes.

"Do not lie to me, Mr. Potter!" Snape barked, towering over him menacingly. The boy didn't reply, hanging his head again in shamefaced misery. "Very well.  If you refuse to tell the truth, then you leave me no choice but to punish you."  He drew himself up to his most intimidating height.  "I am suspending tonight's tutoring session.  You will scrub cauldrons instead.  Go to my classroom and begin work.  The door is unlocked. I will be along to evaluate your progress shortly."

The boy nodded and rose from the table with a dismal sigh.

"And do not dally, Mr. Potter.  I had better see some spotless cauldrons when I arrive, or you will regret it.  If I catch you sulking or moping instead of working, I will take points.  Is that clear?"

"Yes, sir," the boy's reply was barely a murmur, and he hastened to the door.

"I am very disappointed in you, Mr. Potter," Severus scolded in afterthought.  "I expected better of you."

Harry halted at the door and glanced back at him. The boy's pale face looked stricken, and his eyes were filled with sudden tears. "I'm sorry, sir," he whispered, then fled.

----- ----- ----- ----- -----

Minerva McGonagall scowled at the note she had found waiting on her desk.  She read it again, mulling over the implications.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Professor McGonagall,

It is my understanding that you have assigned detention for the four students found out after curfew.  If you have no objections, I would like you to assign these students to Hagrid for their detention.  I wish Messers Potter, Longbottom, Malfoy, and Miss Granger to assist Hagrid with an important task I have appointed to him.

Please have these students report to Mr. Filch tomorrow evening at eleven p.m.  He will escort the students to their detention. 

Thank you for your cooperation, my dear Minerva.

Albus Dumbledore

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Minerva snorted in disdain. 

Objections? Of course I have objections!  For one thing, Hagrid is the last member of the staff to whom I would assign Potter's detention.  He's far too fond of the boy - and Granger and Longbottom,  for that matter.  The only one that big-hearted oaf is likely to discipline, would be Malfoy.

And what is this nonsense about eleven p.m.? That's much too late!  The whole point of curfew is to insure these children get the proper rest.  What's the point of punishing them for being out after hours, by keeping them up even later?  Honestly, Albus - what on earth are you thinking?

She glared at the note in her hand.

Cooperation. . . oh, certainly. As if I would bother to protest to Albus.  It's not like he will listen - not when he gets these hare-brained ideas of his.

She sighed in resignation.

Well, I suppose there's nothing for it.  Whatever the old man has up his sleeve, there's little I can do about it.

She pulled several sheets of parchment towards her and began writing three memos to be delivered at breakfast the next morning.

----- ----- ----- ----- -----

"Potter."  Severus crossed his arms and tapped his foot impatiently.  The boy looked up nervously from the sink.  "Rinse that cauldron, and then come here."

Harry obeyed, shuffling his feet as he reluctantly approached the grim Potions Master.

"Sit."

Harry sank onto the bench Severus pointed to.  "Have you reconsidered your position, Mr. Potter? Are you ready to tell me the truth?"

Harry hung his head even lower and mumbled, "If I do, it will get a friend in trouble. I don't want to do that."

"It is not your responsibility to conceal another's blame."

Harry just peered up at him helplessly and shook his head.

"Very well," Severus sighed.  "If you tell me the truth, I will not take action against whoever it is you are trying to protect."

Harry seemed to consider this for a moment, then nodded hesitantly.  He launched into his tale with some nervousness.  Severus had to fight to keep the growing anger from his face.  When the boy finished, he turned away and paced the floor for a moment to regain control of his temper.

Idiot, idiot boy! And that pea-brained oaf Hagrid - I'll skin him alive!  Endangering those children with a juvenile dragon, for Merlin's sake!  It's lucky they are all in one piece! What in Hades possessed the bloody fool to dump his problems on a couple of eleven-year-old students?

He set his brooding aside for later and studied Harry.  The boy was watching him, waiting for his reaction with an almost fascinated dread.  He wanted to rage at the child - to reduce him to a puddle of weeping remorse. But he had learned Harry responded better to an appeal to his reason and uncompromising principles.

"I understand your wish to help your friend," Severus began sternly.  "And even why you felt a desire to protect him from the consequences of harboring an illegal animal."  He took the seat next to the guilty boy and forced his voice to remain civil and reasonable.  "But Hagrid is an adult, Harry - not one of your dorm mates.  Don't you think it should have been Hagrid's responsibility to rectify his own problem- one he created entirely on his own, I might add?"

Harry shrugged uncertainly. "I guess. . .but he is my friend - and friends should help each other, no matter their age, shouldn't they?  Besides, sometimes I feel like Hagrid is more like my age than a real grownup - don't you?"

"Hmmm," Severus was impressed by the boy's logic.  And he couldn't deny that the Gamekeeper was indeed a bit of an overgrown child.  But he wasn't willing to admit this truth.  It was more important that the boy understand his errors.

"That is not the point, Potter.  Hagrid is a member of this staff.  If he had a dilemma, he should have gone to the Headmaster for assistance.  It is not your job to shield him, or to solve his problems for him.  What's more - it was an extremely dangerous thing to do!  Dragons are volatile creatures - most unpredictable, even when confined.  It could easily have injured either you or Miss Granger."  Harry started to protest, but Severus held up a resolute hand to silence him.  "It does not matter whether you agree with me, Harry.  Even if you fail to see the peril you placed yourselves in, the fact still remains:  you elected to carry out your little nefarious scheme after curfew, in an area that is strictly off limits to students.  You knew what you were doing was wrong, and you chose to do it anyway.  If you do not like the consequences, you have no one to blame but yourself, do you?"

The boy hung his head in shame.  "No, sir."

"Now, can you tell me how you should have handled this situation?" Severus asked a little less harshly.

"I guess I should have convinced Hagrid to tell the Headmaster and let him deal with it," the boy admitted.

"Exactly." Severus approved.

Harry peeked up at him glumly.  "I'm sorry, Professor.  I guess I messed up."

"You did - but I'm more concerned that you learned your lesson from this."

The boy nodded.  "Yes, sir.  I did. I'm really sorry."

"Very well.  Kindly remember this in future, and do not take such unnecessary risks again," Severus scolded mildly.

Harry studied his shoes, one foot digging uneasily at the stone floor.  "Are you still angry with me?" he murmured dejectedly.

"I am not angry, Potter," he replied stiffly.  "I appreciate your willingness to admit to your mistakes."  He rose abruptly, feeling uncomfortable with the unspoken sentiment that hovered between them. "Your punishment is concluded. You may return to your dorm now." He motioned to the door impatiently.

"Thank you, sir.  Goodnight, Professor." Harry slipped quietly from the classroom, looking considerably relieved.

Severus felt his own relief.  He was still a stern authoritarian, although he was growing more tolerant.  He hadn't reprimanded the boy quite so harshly in several months.  He found he had enjoyed it far less than he once did. 

----- ----- ----- ----- -----

"Have you lost your mind, old man?  Are you totally MENTAL?" Severus leaned across Dumbledore's desk, practically spitting with fury.  Albus leaned back defensively, clearly astonished at the younger man's fierce audacity.  "You sent four children out there - into the Forbidden Forest - at night?  With no one but that oaf Hagrid for protection?  What in Merlin's Garters were you thinking???"

"Now, Severus," Albus tried placating him.  "No one knows that forest better than Hagrid.  I have complete faith in him."

"That imbecile you have so much faith in, sent Malfoy and Potter off alone!  They were nearly killed!" Severus nearly shrieked.

"But they're fine, Severus. Don't get so overworked, my dear boy.  You'll give yourself a heart attack," the old wizard crooned soothingly.

Severus huffed in sheer frustration and threw himself into a nearby chair.  "I do not understand you, Albus.  How could you risk the lives of students like that?  Don't you realize what you've done? Those boys might have been seriously injured! How I could possibly justify something like that to Lucius Malfoy? What if the centaur hadn't shown up when he did?  "

"Indeed, Severus.  We are fortunate to have Firenze as an ally," Albus beamed at him, ignoring his angry questions.

Severus glared at him.  "Did you hear the boy's story?  Do you understand what this means?  He's out there, Albus!  He's living off the unicorns!"

"I realize that."

"He's here for one reason, Headmaster!  He's here to steal the Stone.  It was a mistake to keep it here - it endangers the students!"

"You know this is the safest place, Severus.  And he obviously has been unable to reach it.  Our precautions are sufficient. You mustn't worry so."

Severus rose, glaring down at the old wizard with incredulous disgust.  "I hope your optimism proves justified, Headmaster.  If you are wrong, you know who will pay the ultimate price:  your Golden Boy - your own Precious Potter!  He will be the first one that fiend goes after.  And now, thanks to you and your prized oaf Hagrid, He knows Potter! He knows his face - his voice - his scent! He's seen him - spoken with him!  The boy is lucky to still be alive!"

"Oh, I doubt that luck has much to do with it, my dear Severus," Albus smiled slyly. "Our Harry is a very unusual boy. . . most uncommon."

Severus stared at him, desperately trying to conceal his shock.  "I find nothing exceptional about the boy," he replied automatically.  His face felt numb and his lips were stiff.  "On the contrary, I believe Harry Potter could not be more common.  Your faith in the little brat is inexplicable."

He sneered woodenly, while hastily strengthening his Occlumency shields as surreptitiously as he could. "Regardless of whatever heroic daydreams you may have about the invincibility of The-Brat-Who-Lives, Albus, the fact remains, we are facing a real threat, and we need to proceed with even more caution."

"I understand your concerns, Severus, and I appreciate your dedication.  I will rely on you to continue to keep a close eye on things," the old wizard smiled benevolently at him. "I trust you will alert me to any relevant suspicions or information in future."

"Of course, Headmaster," Severus replied haughtily. "You may be sure of it."  He accepted the unspoken dismissal, turned and stalked to the door. "Good night, Albus,"  he murmured, then whirled on his heel and departed with his usual sinister flare.

He waited until he was safely in the dim, undecorated hallways of the dungeon, before letting go and kicking a nearby wall with unrestrained spite.

Senile old man! Optimistic fool!  He's going to get Potter killed before the boy even reaches puberty!

Severus stalked furiously to his quarters, slammed the door shut, and slumped into his chair with a wishful glance at the bottle of Firewhiskey on the bookshelf.  Albus had given him the bottle for Christmas.

Silly old goat.  I'll be damned if I let you do it.  You may be one of the few in my life who ever cared about me . . . but I won't stand by and let you sacrifice an eleven-year-old boy to your foolish delusions.