Harry had the feeling of déjà-vu as he closed the door to the potions classroom behind him and walked down the corridor, rubbing his throbbing backside.

Two whackings in three days, he thought a little bitterly.  Snape must be really happy now.

However, a small but truthful voice in his head said that he shouldn't really blame Snape.  The man had been right when he had claimed that he had warned Harry about the consequences.

Harry felt a little angry at himself for his stupidity but was also tremendously relieved now that his punishment was over. Bewildered he shook his head. If someone had told me a week ago that I would be thrashed by Snape of all teachers, I would have thought I'd die of shame or be looking for a way to kill him...

But it had happened twice, Harry realized, and both of them were still alive.

Meanwhile he had reached the next bathroom and entered. After looking into the mirror he drenched a towel in cold water and pressed the cool cloth to his face and over his eyes until he was quite optimistic that nobody would notice anything.

After hesitating for a brief moment, he locked himself in a cubicle, where he lowered his trousers. Harry sighed in relief as he pressed the cold towel against his buttocks with his right hand. Still he was a bit nervous. 

He watched his left hand intently. Nothing happened; he had guessed right.  As long as he didn't use magic, the charm on the cane wouldn't react. He suddenly thought of Dudley and wondered whether a cane was still used at Smeltings. When he had attended Muggle school, corporal punishment had been banned from state schools, but not from public schools.

Too bad Dudley and I don't talk to each other, he thought, actually feeling amused. We could exchange stories... He could tell me what non-magical means they use after a caning and I could give him some Murtlap essence. If he shared it, he would probably be the best-liked guy in school ...

Hissing slightly, he pulled his trousers up again - after all, he couldn't spend the whole morning in the toilet.

Unlike last time, Harry did not want to miss his next meal. He was really hungry, and he would have to sit in his lessons after breakfast anyway, so it didn't make much of a difference. Besides, two days ago his main reason for avoiding the Great Hall had been to avoid the looks of the others after knowing what he had done and how he had been punished.

At least there was a certain advantage in Snape keeping the cane in the dungeons, he thought, a little bitterly still.  That way Snape didn't have to walk Harry and the cane through half of the school building, making it obvious to everyone what was going to happen.

Entering the Great hall, he saw that Hermione and Ron had not yet arrived. He had just filled his plate when they did.

‘Hi Harry, there you are,' Ron greeted him as he dropped on the opposite bench. ‘I didn't hear you get up. We were wondering where you were.'

Harry muttered something unintelligible and busied himself with stuffing food into his mouth. Ron joined him enthusiastically, much to Harry's relief. Hermione sat down next to him and smiled at him.

‘Hi Harry. You really must have been up early, because I was doing some homework in the common room and didn't see you pass. Too bad you weren't there, I could have helped you with yours. With all your detentions it'll be hard for you to keep up to date with your homework, I guess.'

Harry forced a smile. ‘Yeah, you're right. Thanks for.....' He interrupted himself and looked at Ron who had choked on his food. Ron was staring at somebody behind Harry.

‘Mr Potter,' Harry heard a familiar voice behind him and turned his head around abruptly.

Snape was standing behind him, his expression unreadable.

‘You forgot your robe,' Snape said and held the dark, folded cloth out to Harry.

‘Oh,' Harry said, feeling a little awkward as he took it and placed it on the bench beside him. ‘I hadn't noticed. Erm, thanks for bringing it along'.

Snape nodded. ‘You are welcome. Enjoy your meal, Mr Potter.'

‘Yeah, thanks,' Harry muttered, ‘you, too, sir.'

After another nod Snape walked away towards the teachers' table.

There was a moment of awkward silence. Harry avoided looking at his friends and concentrated on his breakfast instead. He wasn't surprised that it was Hermione who spoke first.

‘Well, Harry...Professor Snape was extremely friendly when he talked to you, I mean compared to how he usually talks to you...' she began tentatively.

‘Yeah, he was,' Harry answered slowly, looking up at her. He could tell she wanted to say more but was still struggling to find the most tactful way to ask the obvious question.

Ron had less reservations.

‘Yeah mate, when I saw the bat behind you, I was sure he would order you to his office after breakfast to give you a whacking with what you told us last night about Dumbledore.  But since he brought your robe I guess you already got it?' His face showed an odd mixture of concern and curiosity.

‘Yeah, you're right,' Harry muttered.

‘Well, so at least that's out of the way then,' Ron said bracingly. ‘So, was it bad? Did you cry out?'

‘Ron!' Hermione exclaimed, appalled by Ron's curiosity.

‘It's okay,' Harry replied hastily. To his own astonishment he found that he did not really mind Ron's questions. In fact, he preferred Ron's straightforward questions over Hermione's desperate attempts at being tactful.  She actually made him feel more embarrassed. Harry was quite sure that he would have asked the same if he were in Ron's place.  Probably already after the first swishing, when his friends had remarkably restrained themselves from asking too many questions...

Looking at Ron, Harry shrugged. ‘Yeah, it was pretty bad, you can't imagine how much that cane hurts.  Snape really knows how to lay it on!'

At the sight of Ron's sympathetic look he added hastily, ‘It wasn't nearly as bad as last time though, I mean I couldn't hold back my tears, but at least I didn't cry out. Last time I did,' he admitted, feeling a little awkward.

Ron groaned. ‘I don't blame you after seeing your bum, but that must be bloody awful, mate, crying in front of the old bat? What I don't get, though, is how come he already walloped you today?  I mean, did you just go down to the dungeons and say, "Morning Professor Snape, I know that you're allowed to whack me now, so please go ahead"?'

Harry was beginning to feel stupid as he answered,  ‘Well, yeah, I did go down there by myself, but I just wanted to talk to him about ... things,' he finished a bit lamely as he couldn't find it in himself to go into details. He sighed. ‘Well, in the end he healed me over but then I got another swishing for yesterday.'

Ron shook his head and said, ‘Anyway mate, I find it amazing how calm you're acting about all this. I think in your place I'd be much more upset, well, I guess you were two days ago!'

‘Yeah, that might have been because I had just almost killed somebody,' Harry remarked sarcastically. ‘Really Ron, I'm quite all right. I mean sure, it hurts like hell and honestly, I'm not sure if what I did yesterday was really so horrible to deserve a whacking like that, but you're right, at least I don't have to worry about it anymore.'

Hermione nodded thoughtfully as she said, ‘Well, Harry, I think you really did the right thing to go there and talk to him. I mean, like I said, he was rather friendly just a minute ago...'

Harry shrugged and said, ‘Yeah, up to now he's been surprisingly decent. I mean, I've been crying in front of him and he hasn't even mentioned it once .' He frowned before he added as an afterthought, ‘It's just a little unfortunate that he obviously needs to whack me before he can stop acting like a bastard.'

Neither Ron nor Hermione knew what to say to this. They finished their breakfast in silence.

The first class after breakfast was Transfiguration. As usual, Professor McGonagall was rather demanding. Harry found himself struggling with the difficult tasks she set them as he lacked concentration. The pain in his bottom distracted him considerably and besides, it was the first lesson Harry had with his Head of House since she had told him off for shouting at Malfoy.  He was almost certain that she would want to speak to him about all this Sectumsempra business. So her words after the bell rang were no surprise.

‘Mr Potter, would you please stay after a moment.'

Harry waited until everybody had left and went over to her desk. ‘Professor?'

Her first words were unexpected.

'Mr Potter, will there be another Quidditch practice today?'

‘Erm, yes, Professor. Well, surely you know I won't be playing tomorrow, since I've got detention with Professor Snape'. He was trying hard to keep his voice neutral.

‘I do, Mr Potter.  But seeing as you are Captain, as well as Seeker, I think one can say that you are still participating through your team. So I wish you good luck with your training today.'

‘Yes Professor.' Harry wasn't sure what to make out of this conversation. Was she trying to cheer him up? Or was she hinting that his disappointment over not being able to play might let his team down? Surely he wasn't as selfish as that, was he?

‘I know flying will be quite uncomfortable for you today, but I trust you'll manage?'

Harry internally flinched at having his latest caning addressed by his Head of House, but her matter of fact way of addressing it prevented him from feeling too embarassed.

‘Yes Professor,' he said for the third time.

She nodded and gave him a tiny smile. ‘Mr Potter, I will not say anything more about the incident involving Mr Malfoy. You have received a severe punishment and are no doubt aware of the fact that you deserved it.'

She paused for a moment, and after a short nod from Harry she continued.

‘Professor Snape informed me this morning that he had reason to punish you again today. He didn't tell me why, but as much as he is concerned the affair is over and done with.  I saw no reason to inquire further. I understand that Professor Snape gave you the choice of reporting to the Headmaster instead?'

‘Yes Professor,' Harry answered again.  He felt an unexpected rush of gratitude towards Snape, whose discretion came to him as a surprise. Professor McGonagall went on, interrupting his thoughts.

‘Well, Mr Potter, if there are situations where you prefer Proofessor Snape's swift and immediate punishment to being reported to either the Headmaster or to me, that's fine. However, I do hope that you trust me enough as your Head of House to come to me if you think that you are unfairly punished?' she looked intently into his eyes and Harry was touched to see the concern in her face.

‘Oh, yes Professor,' he assured her hastily.

‘Good. Off you go then.'

Harry felt more than a little depressed as he made his way to the Quidditch pitch that afternoon. In fact, this was the first Quidditch practise, ever, that he wasn't looking forward to. All the other team-members were already on the pitch when he arrived. Harry swallowed and told himself to get a grip. No, he definitely wouldn't let his team down!

‘Hi,' he said a little hesitantly, hoping that his voice didn't betray how he really felt. ‘First of all, I want to apologize again that I won't be playing tomorrow.  But since I'm sure you'll win without me, we might as well just get started training, okay?'

And they got started. Harry found out all too soon that Professor McGonagall's prophecy that flying would be uncomfortable for him was a vast understatement, but to his own surprise he found that he actually enjoyed the training very much. Since the team had never played together in this formation, the training was very necessary, and Harry had to admit that it wasn't altogether bad that someone else was playing seeker - in fact it helped him train the entire team without holding a position himself.  He was able to concentrate entirely on training the others.

‘Right guys,' he said at the end of the training session, when everybody had landed on the ground again, panting and wiping dirt and sweat from their faces, ‘I am sure you will be great tomorrow! I wish I could watch you!'      

The team smiled sympathetically and clapped him on the back as they headed to the changing room.

Late at night, when Harry was already in bed, contemplating the day, he really did wish he could watch his team. Sure, if he had the opportunity to play Seeker in the match he wouldn't pass it up, but he would even be happy just to watch the others play.

Bewildered, he realized that for the first time, he actually felt more like a Team Captain than a mere Quidditch player.  And he was proud.