Harry's lunch and overall afternoon had not been very good. Hermione and Ron had failed to cheer him up, as they too were rather anxious about what Snape was planning on doing to Harry. Even Hermione, who had upset Harry only the day before with her assessment that Snape treated him fairly, was shocked when Harry told her about what had happened after Snape had made him stay after class.

‘Really Harry, making you find that cane, threatening you with it, and then sending you away to make you wait for it, that's ... well, psychological torture!' she exclaimed.

Ron nodded vigorously.

Harry silently agreed with her but wasn't pleased with her statement either. Somehow he had hoped for an ‘It was just an empty threat, Harry...' .

‘Well, he didn't really threaten me with it, he just said he would punish me, but he didn't say how,' Harry tried to convince them, even more himself.

Ron snorted. ‘Come on, mate, the way Snape said it was rather obvious, and if you ask me, just hinting at it makes it worse. If it were me, I would be less nervous if I knew for sure what was coming to me, and the old bat knows this!  The greasy git...'

‘Yeah, you're right,' Harry muttered miserably. ‘I just wonder if Snape has got the authority to do that. I mean, Dumbledore said that the last time was a special case just because they would have to expel me otherwise, so I can't imagine that Snape would be allowed to wallop me now everytime I cough.' He tried to speak casually, but it was difficult as an enormous lump began to swell in his throat.

‘Can't you just ask Dumbledore?' Hermione suggested. ‘Ron's right; no matter how he answers it will probably make you feel better, because then at least you know.'

‘I dunno...' Harry said thoughtfully, ‘It would be pretty embarassing, I think, but maybe I could.  I told you that he wanted to see me tonight for our next lesson anyway, didn't I?'

‘No, you didn't,' Hermione replied. ‘But that's perfect, because you can wait and decide if you want to ask depending on how it goes.'

A few hours later, Ron and Hermione had forced Harry to eat dinner, although he had no appetite at all

After the evening meal, he dragged his feet as he climbed spiral staircase to the headmaster's office.

‘Harry,' Dumbledore greeted him as he entered. ‘Come in and sit down. Sherbet lemon?'

Harry took one of Dumbledore's favourite sweets and sat down in the chair opposite of Dumbledore.

‘Thank you, sir.'

Dumbledore observed Harry's movements carefully, his eyes twinkling as usual.

‘Harry, I hope you don't mind my asking, but it looks as though you are still in discomfort?'

Harry felt embarassed as he muttered, 'Erm...yes, a bit.  I can manage, though.'

The old wizard nodded and said ‘I am sorry to hear that, Harry, but I suppose you know that I cannot help you with this even if I wanted to?'

‘Yes, I know, sir,' Harry replied hastily. ‘Professor Snape told me. Never mind, it's quite all right.'

Dumbledore aimed his wand at Harry's chair and muttered an incantation. Harry felt more comfortable at once. ‘That's all I can do for you; it's a cushioning charm...

‘Thank you, sir.  Erm... can you teach me how to do this charm?' Harry asked eagerly.

‘I could, but it would not be of much use to you. You see, Harry, all of the chairs that students normally use in Hogwarts, like in the Great Hall, classrooms, or even in the common rooms have had protective spells placed on them to prevent this charm from working. It has been this way for ages, and I suppose I do not have to tell you the reason.'

Harry just nodded.

The headmaster continued. ‘So I see that professor Snape has not assisted you? I expect he told you that he is the only one with the power to heal you?'

Harry squirmed uncomfortably, but this time, it wasn't because of his backside.

‘Well, he did offer to assist me, actually...  He said I could go and see him this morning after breakfast if I felt the need, but I decided not to go.'

‘Ah. And why is that, Harry?' Dumbledore asked quietly.

The boy merely shrugged. ‘I just didn't want to.'

Dumbledore paused and cleared his throat. ‘Harry, I am going to ask you something, and please answer me truthfully. If necessary take some time to think before you answer."

Harry said nothing. He merely sat quietly, listening intently. 

"Do you think you have reason to complain to me about the way Professor Snape has meted out your punishment?' 

This question caught Harry by surprise. In past years, there had been several occasions in which he had informed Dumbledore of his various suspicions concerning his potions teacher.  But Dumbledore had always made it clear how much he trusted the man. And now, he had not only given Harry the option of avoiding physical punishment from Snape the day before, but was actually encouraging Harry to complain about Snape?

So maybe he doesn't trust him completely, after all, he considered. Harry couldn't imagine passing up an opportunity to complain about his most hated professor.  It was simply too good to miss. Thinking about how harshly Snape had punished him, Harry remembered the seemingly endless succession of extremely painful strokes that Snape had obviously delivered with all his force and without mercy. However, he couldn't help but remember Snape's calmness as well, the lack of patronization...Snape assuring him it was almost over and Snape quietly offering him a tissue afterwards.

Harry hesitated for a moment longer, struggling internally before finally answering.

‘No sir, I don't have reason to complain. He was hard on me...he really was, but he wasn't cruel.'

Dumbledore nodded. 'So I take it that your decision not to accept his offer was not based on anger?'

‘No sir. Well, at least not anger from the punishment... I mean, you know that I don't like him.‘

The old wizard looked at Harry intensively before he stated, ‘Well Harry, I believe you when you say that Professor Snape was hard on you, probably harder than I would have been, but you should know that I wouldn't have let you off easily, either.'

Harry didn't know what to say.

‘I understand,' he finally replied in a small voice.

Dumbledore leaned back in his chair and folded his hands. Harry could tell that he was choosing his words carefully.

‘You see, Harry, I have often thought that the idea behind the charm on the cane was quite clever.' Seeing the incredulous expression on Harry's face, he chuckled lightly. ‘No, not because it will prolong the student's suffering... Not what you are most likely thinking.  No, Harry, what I mean is that the existence of this charm frequently caused teachers to propose the offer of healing the student a day or two after the punishment, just as Professor Snape did. And I can tell you Harry, the vast majority of the students accepted that offer. I suppose you are wondering why the student shouldn't simply be allowed to heal himself? One side of the story is, admittedly, that the teacher decides when the healing will take place. But more importantly, when done in this manner, I believe it is not merely a healing but also an act of reconciliation which would not take place otherwise.'

Harry stared at Dumbledore, the wheels in his mind reeling. ‘So what you are saying is that Snape made a peace offer and I rejected it...'

Dumbledore's eyes were twinkling. ‘Professor Snape, Harry. Yes, I would say that sums it up rather nicely.'

Harry stared at him, bewildered. Was this why Snape had been behaving so horribly towards Harry during today's classes? If this was indeed the reason, Harry's pride had caused himself a lot of trouble. He swallowed.

‘Well I didn't see it that way...  And anyway it's too late now, isn't it?'

‘Probably yes.  But you shall know for next time, Harry.'

Harry mouth dropped open in shock. Next time? But then he saw that Dumbledore was chuckling lightly, and he closed his mouth again.

‘I was only joking, Harry. I do hope that you will never again find yourself in this position.'

Harry agreed. He definitely didn‘t want to find himself over a desk ever again! He felt that now was the best opportunity to ask.

‘Sir, when you had me caned ...' he couldn't help blushing just by saying it, ‘it was a single exception from the rule, wasn't it? I mean, corporal punishment is still not allowed at Hogwarts, is it?' He was pleased to notice that he had actually managed to ask his question in a calm voice, as if he were simply asking out of general interest.

Dumbledore peered at him over the rims of his spectacles. ‘What makes you ask this, Harry?' he inquired.

Harry squirmed uncomfortably in his chair. ‘Well, Sir, it's just that ...  Professor Snape said that since I had as many detentions with him as I could possibly get, he would think of another way to punish me, and so I wondered ...' He did not finish the sentence.

Dumbledore gave him a kind smile. ‘Yes, Harry, I understand. In fact, Professor Snape spoke to me about this issue at breakfast today, and I must say that I understand his dilemma. Handing out more detentions makes little sense, and requiring you write lines or something similar is not recommendable either, as your detentions already cut away quite a bit of your study time-time that you truly need, Harry.'

Harry tried to remain calm as he asked ‘So you mean, I'm the only student he's allowed to hit whenever he pleases? But that's not fair!'

Dumbledore raised his hands in a reassuring gesture. ‘Not so fast, Harry. First of all, you are in many respects a pupil unlike any other; after all, you are The-Boy-Who-Lived, and yes, that isn't fair. However, neither you nor I can help it. And this time you have to admit that you were fortunate not to be treated like everybody else, or you wouldn't be sitting here right now.'

The old wizard gave Harry a piercing look and seemed satisfied when Harry nodded, a bit reluctantly.

‘Secondly, about Professor Snape being ‘allowed to hit you whenever he pleases', as you put it, is not necessarily accurate. Professor Snape and I have agreed on the following: he is allowed to punish you physically, but it is only one option, Harry. You are not ever forced to accept it but are always free to come and see me, and I will punish you then.'

Harry swallowed hard. The day before he had found the thought of Dumbledore caning him unbearable, and this fact hadn't changed a bit. So there is only one option for me, really, he thought.

The headmaster smiled at him again. ‘How I would punish you would depend on the seriousness of your misdeed; however, it is rather unlikely that I would use corporal punishment.' It seemed to Harry as if Dumbledore could read his thoughts.

‘Anyway', Dumbledore continued, ‘It is rather a theoretic debate, isn't it? I am sure you will try to stay out of trouble, and once your detentions with professor Snape are over, everything will be back to normal again.'

Harry forced himself to nod silently. He had no desire whatsoever to tell the headmaster that he was already in huge trouble with Snape. Anxious to change the subject, he asked,

‘Sir, may I ask ... I mean, I was just wondering... have you ever been caned?'

‘I have Harry, and as a young teacher here I have given out several canings as well.  And believe me when I say that I enjoyed neither the one nor the other.' Dumbledore's eyes were twinkling, and Harry was pleased to see that he didn't seem to mind the question at all.

‘But, Sir, if you didn't like it why did you cane students in the first place?' Harry asked curiously.

Dumbledore sighed thoughtfully. ‘It was the usual, accepted punishment at the time, one I grew up with. I used it less than my colleagues, but still, I found it necessary to administer at times. And you must understand Harry that back in those times, the students had a different attitude towards it, too; it was not unusual and there were some students who preferred to get their punishment over with quickly instead of sitting through repeated detentions or being banned from Quidditch.'

He smiled at Harry, who had a slightly confused expression on his face. ‘I know this must sound odd for a student nowadays, and Harry, I do share your reservations. It's not just the physical pain that bothers you, is it?'

‘No, Sir,' Harry agreed, ‘it isn't.'

‘I can understand that, Harry. But please take the advice from an old man who has experienced both sides of the cane...  Try not to feel too humiliated. After all, how can you be humiliated if you are punished by someone who does not intend to humiliate you by doing it?'

Harry stared at him. That was quite a lot to process. ‘I don't know', he said finally. ‘I suppose I'll have to think about it.'

Dumbledore nodded, his eyes twinkling. ‘Please do that, Harry. And I must say, I am very glad that we have had this little talk. To be honest, it was the reason why I wanted to see you tonight-to make sure that you possessed no bitterness concerning yesterday's events.'

Harry shook his head. ‘No, Sir,' he assured him, ‘I don't.'

The old wizard beamed at him. ‘I am happy to hear that, Harry, and you certainly deserve respect for it. So unless there is anything else you would like to discuss, you may go and join your friends again.'

Harry hesitated. ‘Well, yes, there is. It's about Malfoy. Sir, I'm sure he's up to something! When I went into that bathroom, he was there, crying, telling Moaning Myrtle he couldn't do what he had to do and that he would kill him. I am sure he was talking about Voldemort!'

Dumbledore sighed. 'Harry, I have told you before, you are not to worry about Mr. Malfoy.  Please trust me.'

Harry would not give up so easily. ‘Sir, he was really upset when he noticed I had heard him!'

‘And so would you be, Harry, if he had caught you crying...' Dumbledore's voice revealed a trace of impatience for the first time.

‘But he tried to use Crucio on me!' Harry insisted.

There was a short silence. ‘He missed?' Dumbledore asked.

‘No,' Harry muttered. ‘My curse hit him before he could finish.' He looked down at the floor.

‘Are you hoping for Draco to be punished for trying, or do you think nearly being killed has been sufficient?' the headmaster inquired.

The boy looked at him wide-eyed. ‘No, Sir, I didn't tell you because I wanted him to be punished.  I know it's no excuse for what I did, but I thought you should know.'

Dumbledore cleard his throat. ‘Very well. Thank you for telling me this, Harry, but I can only repeat myself: trust me, Harry.                               

They sat in silence for a long moment before Dumbledore finally broke the silence.

‘Is there anything else you wish to discuss?'

Harry shook his head and stood up. ‘Goodnight, Sir.'

‘Goodnight, Harry,' Dumbledore said gently and offered him the plate once more. ‘Take another sherbet lemon before you go.'

‘Thank you, sir.'

Accepting another sweet, Harry left the headmasters office. Though he was not satisfied with the part of the talk that concerned Malfoy, he thought the rest of the conversation definitely had given him plenty to think about.