Harry jumped and dropped the silvery potion to the ground, where it shattered, spilling it's contents everywhere.

Suddenly the room was flooded with light and Harry shielded his eyes. He'd been creeping around in the dark for the last twenty minutes trying not to get caught by Filch on his way down to Snape's private potion stores, and now here he was caught by the man he was thieving from himself!

"What do you think you're doing?" Snape was striding towards him, shooting fiery daggers out of his eyes at Harry.

"I, er, I..." he was so startled and knew he was in such trouble that he couldn't find the right words to say.

"You what!?" Snape spat. "Just thought you'd come down time and again and continue to steal from my stores? Hm? Well this is the last straw Potter. Since you seem unable to keep yourself out of trouble, I will make sure to keep you out of trouble myself."

Harry paled. He didn't want to be expelled. The man had been pushing for his expulsion for years. Truth be told he had never stolen anything from him before, but he just couldn't take another sleepless night. He had a Transfiguration test in the morning and if he didn't get at least a few hours of sleep then he was doomed to fail yet another test. Hermione would pitch a fit. But then again, wouldn't she pitch a fit if he got expelled and couldn't take the exam at all?

"Sit!" Snape spat at the dumb look on Harry's face. Harry didn't hesitate and sat straight down into the nearest chair as Snape sneered and moved to his Potion's cupboard. If there was any chance of him getting out of this alive, and still a student, Harry wasn't going to waste it by disobeying and getting himself into even more trouble.

It was only a moment before Snape strode back out of the closet with a sickeningly knowing smile on his face and a small jar of clear liquid. He set the jar on Harry's desk and pulled out a handful of Harry's black hair unceremoniously, dropping it into the liquid. Immediately the liquid turned pitch black, the same color as his hair, and Severus held the jar up.

"Drink it," he commanded with such force that Harry knew he'd better not disobey.

"What is it si-"

Snape narrowed his eyes and leaned forward so that some of his long black hair fell forward and into his eyes. "Drink. It. Now." This was not a question of being expelled anymore, it was a question of life or death. The man's tone had told him that and his eyes had confirmed the manner in which Harry would die if he didn't do as he was told... it would be brutal.

Harry gripped the container of black liquid and thought that it should smell like licorice, but was unsurprised when it smelled like something putrid. It figured, Snape's aim was probably to make him sick enough to have an extended stay in the Hospital wing. Well, it was either that or-"

"NOW!" Harry jumped as Snape yelled and slammed his hand down on the desk, and Harry swallowed the liquid with one big, nasty gulp.

Snape seemed pleased. He stood up and crossed his arms with a twisted smile.

"What was it?" Harry asked, feeling sick for having gotten himself into this mess.

"Ostendo Ingenium."

"What-"

"Reverse Nature potion Potter," Severus spat in disgust. Of course most fourth year students could speak Latin by then, but Potter couldn't even do it in his seventh year."

"What does it-"

He was growing impatient. "It makes you do exactly the opposite of what your own personal nature would generally tell you to do."

Harry paled visibly, generating a wider smile from Snape. "Yes, that's right Potter. So instead of you sneaking off to steal potions from me in the middle of the night you will remain sound asleep in your disgusting Gryffindor bed. Instead of slacking in all your classes and breaking every rule you come across, you will study hard and do as you're told, for once in your life."

Harry gulped. He definitely did not like the sound of not being in control over his actions. What was he going to tell Ron and Hermione?"

"When does it wear off?"

"When the counterpotion is given. It takes a week to brew and all the ingredients are very expensive Potter. I doubt with your potions skills that you'd be able to do it, so until you get good enough to do it..."

Harry glanced up to see his twisted smile. "Yes, I should say I will have peace and quiet for at least a month... maybe even until the end of the year."

"I'll tell the Headmaster."

Snape shrugged. "I'll tell him I gave you no such thing. Remember Potter, I am his spy, and he does trust me above any student. Now get out!"

Harry stood, wondering when the potion would take effect, but suddenly he felt an urge to stand his ground. He didn't move a single step.

"Are you deaf Potter!?"

"Nope, I just have no reason to listen to a slimy, worthless, greasy, overgrown dungeon bat like yourself! Should I hang you upside down from the ceiling so everybody can see your polka dotted underwear?"

Harry clamped his hands over his mouth, in disbelief that he had just said all of those things, but at the same time, he drew some satisfaction from it, and allowed himself a grin.

Severus narrowed his eyes, wondering if this was the potion taking effect, or if it was still the old Potter. He had no doubt that the boy was defiant, insolent, and rude as he was.

"I will not hesitate to expel you Potter!" Snape held up a threatening finger, and Harry narrowed his eyes as he chuckled. Inside he was all panic, not having control over himself and also knowing that if he was expelled, he'd have nowhere to go but back to the Dursley's. And with or without a Hogwart's diploma or a wand, Voldemort was still going to come after him until he was dead.

Suddenly a thrilling idea came to him and he felt sure it was the best course of action. He pulled his wand and cast a binding charm on the professor standing there before him. The ropes sprung out of his wand so fast and so tight that Snape was surprised and fell over backwards, unable to move or speak as the ropes bound even his mouth closed. "Well then I won't hesitate to tie you up and hide you away," Harry said with a smile. Snape's eyes widened as Harry reached down and dragged the Potion's Master out of the classroom and into the closet, where he cast a silencing spell on him and left him there in the dark before closing and locking the door with every locking spell he knew.

‘I hope he has to piss,' Harry thought to himself quietly, wishing the man would wet himself before anybody found him. Even the thought of the potential embarrassment was enough to fill his heart with joy. Nobody messed with him and threatened him like that... soon they would learn.

Harry and Ron looked over at Hermione.

"What is?"

"Well, he's not here. Isn't he always here on time? He's never late."

Harry didn't even have to work at hiding the silly giggle that wanted to burst out of him. They were sitting in Potion's class and it was already five past the hour. The Slytherins talked amongst themselves and didn't seem to notice that Snape was late.

"You worry too much Hermione," Ron said, enjoying that they had an extra five Snape-free minutes.

"What he said," Harry said pointing at Ron and putting his hands behind his head. Hermione bit her lip.

"But what if... you know... What if the Dark Lord called him away and he's hurt somewhere."

Harry and Ron rolled their eyes in unison. "Then we'd have a substitute Hermione!" Ron said. "If he'd been called away then Dumbledore would know about it, wouldn't he?"

Hermione seemed to agree and left them alone about it for another few minutes, but as soon as the clock struck fifteen after, she started in again.

"Should we tell somebody? Maybe Professor McGonagall?"

Harry took his hands from behind his head and crossed his arms. No... that wouldn't do at all. If they went looking for Snape and found him, then the jig would be up. For the first time in months Harry had gotten a decent nights sleep, and had woken up with a new outlook on life... he wasn't going to let them change him back so soon... if ever.

"Why don't you just get up and teach Hermione? I'm sure he won't mind," Harry said suddenly. "I mean, you're already a month ahead of us anyway..."

She seemed to be taking this into serious consideration. "You really think I should?"

Harry looked at Ron and then Ron nodded in agreement. Even she was better than Snape. "Go for it Hermione," Ron said with a thumbs up.

It was to groans from the Slytherins and a smirk from Harry when Hermione took her text book up to Snape's desk and started the lesson.

"Come on Granger, get down before you embarrass yourself," Malfoy drawled. Suddenly she faltered and stopped teaching, looking to Harry uncertainly for help.

"Well it's her or me ferret," Harry said calmly, loving the fact that he was suddenly able to hold all his anger inside and not have sudden outbursts in front of everyone that constantly embarrassed him.

Draco scoffed from the next isle. "Yeah right Potter, as if you could do better than Snape. You're always failing Potions!" He and the other Slytherins started to laugh, but stopped suddenly when Harry calmly rose from his seat and motioned for Hermione to come back to her seat. She did so with a wary look at Harry, wondering when the explosion of emotion would come, but it didn't. Instead he took her textbook when he met her halfway, and walked to the front of the board.

"Let's see, can you tell me the four uses of potions with a base of Kelpie weed Mr. Malfoy?" Harry asked calmly, setting the book down. Of course he'd read the chapter quickly last night before he went to bed, just in case.

Draco sneered at him. "As if Potter, get real."

"No? Didn't read the chapter last night? Better be five points from Slytherin then," Harry said. The Slytherins burst out in laughter until the little mini hourglass above the chalkboard deducted points from Slytherin. Snape had put them up as a reminder that he was in charge, but now it seemed that Harry was in charge.

"What!?" Malfoy shouted. "That's ridiculous! You're not even a Prefect!"

Harry shrugged with a thin smile on his lips. "No, but apparently the school has taken me for a substitute in Snape's absence. Better find an answer to my question or I'll take more."

Suddenly Draco stood up, his chair skidding back into the desk behind him.

"You better get down from there if you know what's good for you Potter," he spat, pointing his finger at Harry.

"Oops, better be another ten from Slytherin for insulting the substitute." Now more Slytherins stood, pulling out their wands, but with a sly thought and a wave of his own wand their chairs all shot forward hitting them in the back of their legs and forcing them to sit down again.

"Seriously Mr. Malfoy," Harry drawled like Draco usually did. "It's not that hard. What are the four uses of potions with a base of Kelpie weed?"

He noticed then the appreciative looks of his fellow Gryffindors as Hermione's hand shot up and he pointed at her. She listed off the uses correctly and he added five points to Gryffindor.

"Looks like Ms. Granger saved Slytherin from another round of points being lost Mr. Malfoy. Can you earn any points back today or did you fail to read the assigned chapter at all?"

Draco turned red, a stark contrast to his usually pale face and white blond hair. "No? Well then I'll just skip you for the rest of class. How about you Mr. Crabbe? What about the two uses of potions with a base of lacewing flies?"

Crabbe glared up at him, fists clenched tightly. "You don't even know a question from first year readings? Better be ten points from Slytherin then, and perhaps you should speak to your head of house when he gets back about signing up for Remedial Potions during the weekends."

Ron couldn't hold his laughter in anymore and hit the table in front of him with glee. Harry glanced at him but tried not to grin.

"Ms. Parkinson, did you read the chapters assigned?"

She looked haughty. "As a matter of fact I did." She crossed her arms, trying to look bored but failing.

"Well then, what is the fifth more uncommon use of potions with a Kelpie root base?"

She uncrossed her arms and her eyes went wide. Harry could tell she was thinking quickly, trying to remember where that was in the text.

"I... uh... healing lotions?" she guessed.

Harry waved his wands and a handful of points stones disappeared from the Slytherin hourglass.

"Wrong again Slytherins... its pepperup potion." The rest of the Slytherins groaned and glared at both Pansy and Harry.

Harry tapped his wand on the board knowing that Snape always wrote his potions out the night before, and it appeared there.

"This will be the potion for Wednesday. You must gather all the supplies from the grounds. None will be provided to you from the Potion's cupboard. If you don't come to class prepared, then you will fail for the day."

Draco stood up again, but the back of his legs being bruised, he thought better and sat down, saying angrily, "How do you know Potter?"

Harry shook his head and almost snorted. "There's a note on his desk Mr. Malfoy," he said, holding up the small note that Harry had only just a moment ago spied taped down to Snape's desk. "Any more questions?"

Draco glared but kept his mouth shut. "I say that class be dismissed early then so that the Slytherins can all go and study. Maybe they can earn some points back when he gets back. In the mean time, ten points for Gryffindor for never once interrupting me."

With that Harry strode out of the room and into the Potion's closet where Snape still lay on the floor, glaring up at him in shock and anger. He struggled and Harry knew he was trying to say something, but Harry only held up a hand to his ear. "Sorry, what's that Professor? Somebody seems to have placed a spell on you so that nobody can hear what you say."

Harry grinned and suddenly turned and ran from the closet shouting, "Help! Somebody quick! I found him and I think he's hurt!"

Gryffindors and Slytherins alike dropped their bags and books and ran to the closet where Snape lay squirming and looking deadly.

"Professor," Draco said, kneeling down beside the man. Snape's relieved look displayed across his face at the sight of Draco, who would surely untie him, but disappeared when Draco did no such thing and only started to complain. "Did you hear what Potter did? We're going to lose the house cup! He took nearly fifty points from us!"

Snape glared and Draco seemed to realize his mistake as he turned his wand into a knife and started to cut away at the ropes. When Snape was free and standing he used his own wand to counter the silencing charm and grabbed Harry's arm roughly, dragging him away from his peers.

"Professor, what's wrong?" Harry asked, displaying almost genuine concern on his face. Of course it had to seem that way to the rest of the class, but Snape knew better. He dragged Harry all the way up to the Headmaster's office where he forced Harry through the door and where Harry ‘tripped' and fell flat on his face on the stone floor. He bit his lip on purpose so that it started to bleed and gave a little whimper. It worked.

"Severus, what on earth is going on here?" Dumbledore stood up and moved around the desk to see Harry trying to get up off the floor, lip bleeding profusely.

"This... WRETCH, cursed me and locked me in a potion's cupboard all night! Then he had the GALL to teach my seventh year class!"

Harry looked up at Snape, clearly horrified. "Sir? I didn't even know you were in there until after the class... Hermione tried to teach but Draco-"

"ENOUGH!" Snape roared, looking like he was going to kill Harry on the spot. Dumbledore straightened and cocked his head to the side ever so slightly. "Severus, let the boy speak, please. If I am to get to the bottom of this, then I must hear both sides."

Snape threw his arms up in the air, and not breaking his facade Harry looked up from his spot on the floor to Dumbledore and said, "We all went to Potion's class and Professor Snape wasn't there sir. Hermione tried to get up and teach, because she's always ahead of us in readings but Draco wouldn't let her... he told her to sit back down. So I got up there because I read the chapter from the night before, and all I did was ask questions from the chapter and tell them the instructions professor Snape had written down on his desk for the next day. I went into the Potions closet to see if he'd left any more instructions and he was lying there on the floor all tied up and angry."

"Is this true Severus?" Dumbledore asked, eyes twinkling proudly of Harry's initiative to teach the class.

"It most certainly IS NOT!" Severus spat.

"Harry didn't teach the class?"

"NO! I mean YES! He did, but not like that. He's the one responsible for tying me up. I gave him a potion last night that made him act opposite of what he normally does."

"You gave a student Ostendo Ingenium Severus?"

"Yes! I caught him trying to steal from my private stores in the middle of the night. I was trying to teach him a lesson about stealing. He could have taken the wrong potion and nobody would have known. I intended to give him the antidote this morning after he'd embarrassed himself."

"Harry?"

Harry shook his head. "No sir, I was sleeping in my room all night. I don't even know what that tendo ignium thing is." To corroborate his story half a dozen Gryffindors suddenly burst into the office, making it seem smaller than it really was.

"Sir," Hermione said, "Harry's telling the truth. He was just as surprised as we were to find Professor Snape in the cupboard and then when Draco had removed the ropes the Professor grabbed Harry and dragged him off." There were nods from the rest of the Gryffindors there and Severus rolled his eyes, thinking ‘well played Potter.'

"Please Professor, can we go?" Harry asked quietly, shooting a fearful glance at Snape. "I'm behind in Charms and I don't want to be late."

"Yes of course Harry," he said kindly, and Harry hurried out with his friends feeling happier than he ever had. With any luck, the man would get fired, and it would be Harry's doing.

Just before the door closed behind him he heard the Headmaster saying, "Severus, do not think I have not noticed how stressed and overworked you've been these last weeks..."

Harry allowed himself a chuckle. That would show him to force potions on him.

What Harry had done was all over the school by the time Harry reached the hallway, and students from every house were congratulating him for taking over a class and not getting into any trouble. Harry waved them away. "It was nothing," he said over and over. But it was something, and soon the entire school would be eating out of his hand.

"I was thinking," Harry said one evening before the DA was scheduled to take place.

"Yeah?" Ron asked, going over the list of spells they were going to learn tonight.

"The only way for us to defeat Voldemort is to be more powerful than he is."

Ron nodded, "Well yeah, that's why we're doing this."

"No, I mean, not just learning spells and stuff. We need to think smarter than he does, and have more people than he does, and be just plain all around better than he is."

"Well, what do you suggest?" Ron set the parchment down.

"I dunno. How are we supposed to get the upperhand on him? He's got all those followers following one man. We're scattered. Half the school thinks he's not alive, some follow us, some follow Dumbledore and won't let us in on their secret plans... just look at Snape."

Ron nodded. "Well, we're with you Harry, that's a start. The whole DA follows you. Look how much we've accomplished since you started the DA."

Harry shrugged. "Maybe, but two dozen students against an army?"

‘Come on Ron, take the bait, you're almost there,' Harry thought to himself, trying to look downtrodden at the same time.

"Maybe we should go recruiting... you know, get more Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws in... heck, there's only ten Gryffindors in the club not including us."

‘Yes! Yes! That-a-boy... this is all your idea. Harry Potter had nothing to do with drawing them in to join his ranks.' He looked up trying to look like that had been a great idea on Ron's part.

"Seriously? I never even thought of that." Harry beamed. "That's why your my best mate. I need you."

Ron looked proud suddenly and said, "I'll work up some posters with Hermione and see if we can't get them posted in the other common rooms. Hermione's got all the passwords since she's Head Girl."

"That would be great," Harry said. Ron stood up to leave, but Harry reached out and took his wrist gently. "Ron?"

Ron sat back down. "Yeah?"

"Remember a little while ago when Snape tried to chuck me out for putting him in that closet?"

Ron nodded. "He's nutters."

"I'm worried that he may not really be... you know... a spy for him."

Shuddering Ron nodded again. "Well, we always suspected that."

"Yeah but now he's actually really trying to get me out... what if he manages one of these times and they throw me out and Voldemort's there waiting for me? Or what if he tries to kidnap me when nobody's looking?"

"He has been acting odder... if that's even possible. Well, maybe we'd better start getting DA to go with you wherever you go. That won't be too hard since you and I share all our classes and Hermione's with us most of the day too."

"I don't want to burden anybody," Harry said.

"Pss," Ron scoffed. "Forget it Harry, you're nutters. You really think you'd be burdening us after all the times you stood up to Voldemort... AND Snape, for us?"

"Uh... yes?"

Ron laughed and stood up again. "I'll talk to some people at the DA tonight and see if anybody will volunteer."

Harry smiled up at him. "Thanks Ron, you're the best."

Grinning down into his book as Ron walked away, Harry felt yet another piece of his plan falling into place.

And so it was the next morning, and every day thereafter for a week that no less than four DA members accompanied Harry wherever he went. Soon it was more than four, and they began practicing DA learned spells out on the lawns during breaks, and going over charms and curses in the halls between classes. Even DA from other houses were sitting around Harry at Gryffindor table during meal times. Snape did not fail to notice. To make a show of being friendly towards Snape, Harry gave him a little wave from Gryffindor table that none his peers noticed. Snape positively scowled, and Harry pretended to shrink away from it, hoping the Headmaster or some other staff member had seen.

‘This is working,' Harry thought. ‘By the end of the year I'll be unstoppable.'

Another few days went by and Harry began to tire of having so many people around him. Besides, he had taken on the greasy git before, and when the time came again, he would take on Snape and squash him like a bug. To protests from Ron and Hermione, he waved them away one night after dinner and said that he needed some alone time. When they left for the Library without him, he was glad to have some space again. They had served their purpose, and would do so again, but he wanted them to know that he was in charge.

Stretching, Harry stood from the table and waved goodbye to some other DA members that had been sitting there, and headed out of the Great Hall. He had no desire to get himself into trouble just at the moment, but he wasn't about to be bound by the school's silly rules about students not being out after curfew... or any rules for that matter. Being decided then on staying out late for no other reason than he wanted to and was determined to do whatever he damned well wanted, Harry headed off towards the east side of the castle for a long stroll to clear his mind. He had only made it to the darkened second floor however when Snape stepped out in front of him from behind a statue of a knight with a scarred face.

"Well well Potter, finally away from your... followers?"

Harry crossed his arms. "I'm sure I don't know what you mean Professor sir," Harry said with mock politeness.

Snape took a step forward and Harry was tempted to bind him and put him in a closet again just to remind him who was boss now.

"Won't the Headmaster be so displeased to find out that his little hero is not at all who he claims to be?"

"And won't he be disappointed to find his Head of Slytherin house floating in the lake tomorrow morning dead as a door knob?" Harry reached for his wand but suddenly somebody had grabbed him from behind and Snape was pulling his own wand and casting a binding charm on him.

"How dare you!" Harry screeched.

"Harry, this needs to be done," a calm voice sounded in his hear. It was the Headmaster who had him so tightly held.

"Sir, Professor Snape was just threatening me," Harry protested. "I was only trying to scare him off. I don't want any trouble, really!"

"The truth will be told Potter," Snape said, pulling a small phial of clear liquid from an inner robe pocket. "I've been carrying this around for weeks just waiting to hear you spill your guts."

"Sir, that's not allowed, is it?" Harry asked, referring to the veritaserum the greasy git was holding.

"I'm afraid it is if we are to clear your good name Harry," Dumbledore said, suddenly levitating Harry and moving him down the hallway and then into an empty classroom. Snape shut the door and spelled it locked and quiet so that nobody would intrude or overhear what would happen next.

"Please sir," Harry said, trying to sound desperately innocent. "He's been after me for years, threatening to turn me in to the Dark Lord, threatening to get me expelled or do me harm. I don't feel safe in the same room with him!"

"I knew something was off my dear boy when I smelled alcohol on you a few days after Severus was found tied up in the closet. The Harry James Potter I know would never drink."

"I wasn't drinking sir," Harry said as they set him down in a chair and Snape uncorked the bottle of Veritaserum. "I had come across one of the DA drinking and he got mad at me and threw the bottle at me!"

"Truly?"

Harry nodded vigorously. "Yes sir, honest!"

"Then you have nothing to be afraid of my dear boy. The veritaserum will have out with the truth and it will corroborate your story."

Snape hurried forward and to wild protests from Harry he poured it down Harry's throat. Suddenly Harry felt a mild calming sensation come over him, and knew the potion was working. Damn, but how it would work against him.

"Well now Potter," Snape said, arms crossed. "Why have students been trailing behind you like lost little puppies this last week and a half?"

"We've been doing extra studying for the DA," Harry said, thinking that that had been truth enough. They had been afterall.

"Were they not following you for your own protection?"

"From the Dark Lord," Harry said dully, thinking again that if he had told this to the DA than it must be good enough as truth.

Severus shook his head. "And who did you tie up and leave in a closet in the dungeons?"

Harry couldn't help but look up at Snape now and remember the look of shock on his face as he lay there, bound and gagged, and knowing the jig was up because of the veritaserum, he finally allowed himself a good long laugh over it. "I did you fool!" Harry shouted after a moment. "You think you can force potion on me when all I wanted was a lousy sleeping potion!? You deserved it! And now you know who's boss! You think that fool you serve is a true dark lord? You haven't even seen the meaning yet! You will though, you will. Trust me on that, an you will bow down before me as all the others are ready to do!"

Harry had worked himself up now and was struggling again, hoping his followers would burst in at any time and save him, confirming in their minds that not only Snape, but Dumbledore as well were after him. No such rescue attempt came though, and Snape and the Headmaster only gave each other fearful looks.

"That's right," Harry said, calming himself. "You'd better be afraid. And you'd better let me go this instant or I'll have the both of you killed."

"The calming draught is wearing off," Snape said dryly, and the Headmaster nodded. Snape pulled out another phial, this one with clear blue liquid in it and plucked out one of Harry's hairs, dropping it into the mixture. Suddenly it turned bright red and started to fizz.

It took Harry's mind a moment to grasp what had been said as he watched the man preparing the antidote for him to the opposite self potion. Calming draught? They had tricked him and he had divulged all his secrets to them freely? Damn but he had messed up good.

And then Snape was coming towards him and was forcing his mouth open again and pouring the fizzing liquid down his throat. It burned and suddenly his whole body was on fire.

"Noooooo!" Harry shouted, trying to struggle, but then he was calm and the burning had subsided.

It was long moments before anybody said anything.

"Harry?"

Albus moved forward and stooped down a little to try to catch Harry's eyes, but stood again abruptly.

"I believe it has worked," he commented to Severus.

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because the Dark Harry would not have cried."

Snape stiffened at that. Was Potter really crying.

"Can you please untie me?" He asked quietly, not looking up at them, too ashamed to do so.

"Of course Harry."

The ropes vanished and Harry leaned forward and put his head in his hands in the darkened room.

It was another few moments before Harry said, "You were wrong about me."

"How so Harry?" Dumbledore asked.

"Not you," he said, "him."

Snape sighed. Apparently so.

"My apologies for forcing the potion on you."

Harry shook his head and tried to stand up, feeling weak, but he promptly collapsed back into the chair as his legs gave out. He didn't want to be there crying after his near takeover of the school and conversion into Voldemort.

"I will leave you alone for a moment Harry," Dumbledore said, giving a meaningful look at Snape that Harry didn't catch, and then he was gone.

Harry wiped his eyes on his sleeve and didn't look up.

"The other Harry would have never forgiven me," Snape said matter-of-factly.

Harry shook his head. "You're right, and now you're stuck with the weak Harry. The Harry who takes all your insults, all your belittling, all your snide remarks. This is the Harry who you will never even see because you didn't care to notice anybody but James Potter and the evil Harry. This is me," he finally said, looking up into the man's dark eyes.

Severus was slightly taken aback by the sorrow in the boy's eyes, and the want. What was it that he wanted? And then it occurred to him... to be understood.

Harry rose and headed for the door.

"Potter..."

He stopped momentarily, but when there was no more answer, he walked out, leaving Snape to wonder over what had been said.

Feeling guilty and ashamed himself, Severus sat in the chair Harry had occupied moments ago. Someday perhaps, he'd be given another chance to see Harry James Potter... Lily's son, for who he really was.