Harry was sitting propped up against the headboard because by now lying down was too painful. Snape had neither allowed him out of bed nor cancelled the cushioning charm he had cast around it. After what seemed like an eternity of waiting in the darkness, for he had not found any sleep that night, his bladder was ready to burst and he had no possibility to get out of bed to search for the nearest bathroom.

Finally...

The crack under the door was again flooded with light so – hopefully –  Snape would not take much longer to make his appearance. That he would actually be looking forward to seeing Snape was a miracle in itself to Harry. But every means necessary to prevent himself from having an ‘accident’ were acceptable. Even if that meant having to endure some time in the presence of his Potions teacher. Snape would never let him live that down. 

If Harry had anticipated that Snape would come barging into the room he was sorely mistaken. The door was slowly and silently pushed open to reveal Snape, clad in his usual dark robes but sans his trademark sneer.

“You are awake.” It was not a question but a statement. It seemed as if Snape would have bet on Harry still being cosily snoring between the sheets. Without waiting for an answer, he moved over to Harry’s bedside and pulled out his wand.

Even though Harry knew firsthand of the man’s volatile temper, he threw all caution in the wind for fear of having a repeat of yesterday evening. Before Snape could get started with whatever incantation he wanted to subject Harry to, the boy spoke up.

“Professor, I really need to use the bathroom. Could you...” Halfway through the sentence, he ran out of steam. Snape was really giving him the creeps with that look on his face that was devoid of any emotion. Harry felt like a bug under a microscope. With a swish of the Potions master’s wand, the wards around the bed fell.

“The bathroom is in the hallway, the second door to your left. Be quick about it. Should you not be back in this room in exactly 4 minutes, I will come to get you and neither of us would like that.”

With this threat ringing in his ears, Harry practically sprinted from the room. He felt slightly dizzy but made it to the bathroom just fine. After he tended to his necessities in record time, he went to the sink in order to wash his hands and face. As he raised his wet face back up to the mirror, he noticed something was off. Checking  his reflection more closely, his jaw dropped open in surprise.

My scar is gone.....

At a loss, Harry just continued to stare. He neither heard the rap of knuckles on the door nor Snape’s inquiry about what was taking him so long. Face still dripping water, he stood shell-shocked. Of course, he saw that the scar was gone. But he could not comprehend that the visible reminder of his parents’ sacrifice as well as the mark that had always set him apart from everyone else was just gone. Just like that.

Dazed, Harry twisted his head around as a hand was placed on his shoulder. Snape’s expression was neutral. Without saying a word, he steered the shocked boy – with a firm but gentle grip on his shoulder - out of the bathroom, through the narrow hallway and down a flight of stairs. They came to a stop in a large, old-fashioned living room. He made Harry sit down on one of the couches and seated himself across from the boy on a worn-looking armchair.

“Niffy.” At the Professor’s summons, a house elf appeared right next to the coffee table. “What can Niffy do for Master Snape?” Her tiny, nasal voice had Harry glazing up. He took in his surroundings as if he had not even realized that he had moved from the bathroom.

“Two cups of tea for me and a light breakfast for Pot....” Uncharacteristically, the Potions master halted in mid-sentence. Still feeling slightly detached from the whole scene, Harry watched his Potions teacher clear his throat.

“And a light breakfast for Harry.” At that, the house elf disappeared with a soft cracking noise and left Harry and Snape alone in the room. Neither of them spoke a word. Harry, who had not even recovered from the first shock, was just plainly astonished. He would never have thought to hear his given name to come across this man’s lips. Snape seemed to be a little shaken as well. For all the fame of his sharp tongue and sarcastic remarks, he was unsure how to start the conversation that he would have to have with the boy.

Out of thin air, two cups of tea as well as a bowl of porridge and a plate of slightly buttered toast appeared on the table. Giving the breakfast a listless once-over, Harry gaze wandered back to Snape. The man reached out with his hand to grab one of the delicate teacups. After taking a sip, he met Harry’s eyes.

“Eat, you quite need it. After breakfast, I will answer the questions I am sure you might have.”