Present

Harry took a second to catch his breath.  “In the wake of what happened Dad decided to use my detention for extra Occlumency lessons.  I was grateful not to be scrubbing cauldrons.  It was useful too since I got out a bit earlier to review for my O.W.L.s. Those were rapidly approaching.”

“Everything here at Hogwarts sort of calmed down right before exams.  My best friend Ron helped us win the Qudditch Cup for the second time in a row.  My life was almost normal with classes and Occlumency lessons.  As our exams got closer the more stressed everybody got more.  Hermione became increasingly bossy, Ron was snappish.  I ended up spending a lot more time in Dad’s quarters studying down there.  He didn’t seem to mind the company and with all the threats he made about me not doing well on my exams I think he was glad to see me studying.”

Harry pushed his hair away from his eyes once more.  “With all the studying, homework and stuff was I was pretty stressed.  I don’t know about you guys, but I don’t sleep very well when I’m stressed.  I’m pretty sure Dad took to spiking my evening tea with Calming Draught.”

“The worst of these nights was the night of our first O.W.L.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

June 1996 (The week before)

Severus handed Harry his cup of from their traditional post-lesson tea service.  Harry took in gratefully.  There was something soothing in a warm cup of tea, even without drinking it.  Harry couldn’t wait for the next week to be done.

Harry took his first sip of tea and let out a contented sigh.  Why couldn’t things always be like this: a cozy couch, warm tea and biscuits and nothing to worry about on the horizon?

Severus watched as his son melted back into the couch.  In that moment Harry looked his age, or younger possibly.  There was a contented innocence he rarely saw on the boy’s face.  It hurt Severus to know he was in part responsible for the teen’s troubled past.

“Are you ready for your exam in the morning?”  Severus asked taking a sip of his own sweetened tea.

Harry shrugged.  “I guess.  I’ve been studying everything like mad.  It’s scary since they can ask us about almost anything we’re supposed to have learned over the last five years.  That’s a lot of stuff to remember.  And then what if we didn’t learn about it because we had sh –” Harry stopped at the sight of his father’s raised brow.  

“Horrible professors,” Harry finished lamely.

The professor’s expression did not soften at Harry’s attempted correction.  “I can assure you that Minera and Filius are among the best instructors you will find.  As Charms is your first O.W.L. this should put you mind somewhat at ease.”

Harry shook his head, “I’m not taking about them.  Look at who I’ve had for Defense.  A guy who had Voldemort plastered to the back of his head, Lockhart, and Umbridge. Harry ignored the grimace that crossed his father’s face at the sound of the Dark Lord’s name and ticked off the professors on the fingers of his right hand.

“You are forgetting the werewolf and the Death Eater disguised as a half-mad ex-Auror,” Severus pointed out.

Harry gave another shrug, “Yeah, well at least with them I learned something.  Quirrell was supposedly scared of his own shadow and the most dangerous thing we talked about were trolls.  Lockhart was more interested in selling us books than having us learn the difference between a centaur and a Minotaur. Not that I’m sure he knew the difference.”

Severus let out a soft chuckle.  “Lockhart was a fool.  A particularly disappointing choice to lose the position to.”

“Then there’s Umbridge.  She’s probably the worst.  At least with the other two they acknowledged there’s a dark side to magic.  I know they were both evil and everything, but they showed us what can happen.  Umbridge wants us to believe the world is made of nothing but shining, happy, perfect people.  She’d probably say ‘Voldemort isn’t that bad, he’s just misunderstood’ if the right person asked her.”  Harry spat.

Severus frowned at his son’s rather astute assessment of the Acting-Headmistress.  “Indeed,” was all he said.

“I’ve lost half of my school years to idiots.  How am I ever supposed to pass this test?”  Harry rambled.

Severus found it hard, but managed not to breakout in belly bursting laughter at Harry’s expense.  “Harry, I refuse to believe you are so obtuse you believe yourself capable of that level of failure.”

Harry have him a puzzled look in response.  Severus shook his head at the teen’s incomprehension.

“You really must try to improve your vocabulary, Harry.” Severus chided mildly.

“It’s not that I didn’t understand,” Harry tried to cover.

“Then why do you resemble one who has just been Confunded?”

Harry bit his lip.  “You said something nice… about me.”

Severus nodded in agreement.  “Yes, but I fail to see the significance.”

“You don’t do that… not about me.” Harry countered.

Severus took a deep breath cursing himself to the darkest depths of Hell for damaging his son’s confidence so severely.  “We have had several conversations about my unfair assessment of your skills over the years.  Harry, if there is one subject you should never fear in your abilities it is Defense Against the Dark Arts.”

“But..” Harry began.

“Harry,” Severus cut him off.  “You are one of the most gifted students in that subject I have ever encountered. You were able to make it to the Philosopher’s Stone and face the Dark Lord at 11 years old.”

“I had loads of help to get there and it was only Mum’s protection that saved me.” Harry protested.

Severus put his hand up to stop his son’s rambling.  “At 12, you knowing faced a basilisk, a task which normally would have been relegated to half of the Ministry of Magic.  Again you faced the Dark Lord and survived.”

“Only ‘cause Fawkes –” Harry interrupted.

“Harry, let me finish,” Severus snapped.  “At 13 you were capable of producing a corporeal Patronus, a feat many adult wizards are incapable of.  You not only produced a Patronus, but were able to drive off a significant Dementor swarm.” Severus gave the teen a piercing look before he could protest.  “At 14, you were the youngest contestant of the Tri-Wizard Tournament.  You faced any number of obstacles in it, including a dragon, and the Dark Lord yet again.”

“That was my wand,” Harry whined.

“Indeed.  And yet you were still able to maintain your head enough to put up a fight and bring back Diggory’s body.  Many fully trained witches and wizards could not say they would have done the same.  Brave men and women fled in fear of the Dark Lord.”

“Don’t you see, I’ve just gotten lucky?  I’m not that special. I’m just lucky.”  Harry whined.

“You have been lucky, but you are talented.  This concern about your O.W.L. is misplaced stress for your other exams.  You mother did something similar before our Charms exams”  Severus said reassuringly.

Harry perked up interestedly, “Really?”

Severus nodded,“Yes, I heard her in her library the night before the exam lamenting her unpreparedness to one of her dorm mates.”

“Okay,” Harry agreed.

“You should not fear for your results on that particular exam.  I fully believe you are more prepared than even Granger.  You should also find your other exams less daunting if you have truly been using your time to prepare.  You are not an untalented wizard.  You should do well as long as you have studied.” Severus said kindly.

Harry smiled at his understated compliment, “Thanks.”

Harry checked his watch.  “I should get back to the Tower.  I wanted to go through my Charms notes again before I go to bed.”

Severus rose walking Harry to the door.  “A commendable idea.  Do remember to get a good night’s sleep.”

Harry scoffed, “Like that’s going to happen.”

Severus frowned at his son’s comment.  “You are having difficulty sleeping?”

“Errr… yeah,” Harry said uneasily.

“Why did you fail to mention it?” Severus asked.

Harry shrugged, “It’s nothing, pre-exam jitters, you know?”

“Indeed,” Severus agreed. “Still, would you care for a mild sleeping potion?  You would fare better on your exam on a good night’s rest.”

Harry shock his head, “No thanks, I’ll be alright.  Good night.”

“If you are sure,” Severus said certainly.  Harry nodded.  “Very well, good night Harry.  The best of luck on your exam,” Severus offered.

“Thanks,” Harry repeated.

Harry’s walk to the Tower was uneventful.  He spent much of the walk practicing wand movements of charms Flitwick reviewed with them in the last week or so.  He needed to look at his notes for some of these they’d done early on.  The Common Room was mostly deserted when he arrived back at the Tower.  Those who remained were either in their fifth or seventh year.

Harry found Ron and Hermione at a set of cozy couches near an open window.  Harry flopped down on the couch across from Ron.  The redhead was splayed out on the couch similarly.  

“How was your lesson mate?” Ron asked putting his notes a side for a moment.

Harry shrugged, “The usual.”

“You ready for this?” Ron asked gesturing back towards the abandoned notes.

Harry gave another shrug. “I guess.”

“You shouldn’t be so carefree about this Harry.  It’s your future you’re setting tomorrow,” Hermione scolded from behind her fortress of books.

Ron rolled his eyes, “He knows ‘Mione.  He doesn’t need you laying into him too.  Snape’s been doing it for ages.”

“And he should be,” Hermione said making her first appearance of the evening.  “The professor knows how important it is for Harry to do well.  You’d do well to listen to the professor too Ronald Weasley.”

“Shut it Hermione,” Ron snapped.

Harry did his best to ignore his friends’ bickering instead choosing to focus on reading Hermione’s notes.  The two continued to squabble for several minutes.  It only ended when Hermione stormed out of the room and up to her dorm.  Harry wasn’t sure what had been said, but he knew it must have been something horrible.  He would make sure the two were still speaking in the morning.

“You coming mate,” Ron asked standing by the arm of Harry’s sofa.

“No, I want to read through a bit more these,” Harry said gesturing to the still sizable pile of notes.

“Okay,” Ron said.  “See you in the morning.”

“Yeah,” Harry said, eyes already back on the papers.

Harry rubbed at his eyes drowsily.  ‘The key to a weightless charm…’

Harry was back in the Department of Mysteries.  He knew the shelves instantly.  He continued down the aisles until 15b came into view.

Down the aisle sat Sirius his arms bound behind his back.  His legs tied together too.  A wand was being pointed at his head by a faceless Death Eater. “Curcio,” an icy voice drawled and Sirius writhed in pain.

“Sirius!” Harry shot awake, drenched in a cold sweat.