Harry looked up suddenly as the flames leading forward to wherever Blaise and Hermione had gone suddenly disappeared. An instant later, he knew why, as Blaise and Hermione came back through, followed closely by Dumbledore, McGonagall, and finally Snape. The man's face was entirely blank. When the man found Harry's eyes, Harry swallowed and walked forward silently to stand in front of his – father.

For a moment, Snape just stared at him, but then one hand came up to grip Harry's chin and turn his face slightly to the side. The other brushed gentle fingers over Harry's cheek, and Harry winced away, startled to find that it hurt, despite the gentleness in the man's touch.

The man's expression at Harry's wince hurt worse. The man would've been panicked and worried. Harry knew that already. But Snape had almost winced with Harry, and once again he was reminded of just how much Snape hated seeing him hurt. It was like the man took it personally. And this time Harry hadn't even put himself in danger for a reason. Yeah, I did. I couldn't let Blaise go in alone, could I?

McGonagall and Dumbledore were quickly organizing the other four to leave the chamber, but Snape still didn't say anything. When everyone started to move, Theo and Ron talking in whispers but Hermione and Blaise entirely silent, Snape put a hand on the back of Harry's neck and pushed him to follow. When they got to the surface, though, Snape simply spoke briefly to Blaise and Theo before steering Harry away from them and down to the 'dungeons' of the castle.

Harry had a strange sense of deja vu, walking silently down to Snape's quarters in the middle of the night, a hand attached firmly to the back of his neck as if without it he'd do something stupid. The feeling was somewhat comforting, actually – he'd survived the last time more-or-less intact. Snape had stayed.

He felt a vague panic rise at the thought. What if- but no, Snape would stay. Snape had always stayed. You cannot drive me off. I care about you, and that is it, and there is nothing you can do about it. It looked like he'd continue to try, though, almost despite himself. Bloody hell. Snape's face was so set. Blank, the way it always was when Snape was most upset. And I've turned into a total pussy. Just the term before he hadn't given a damn what Snape did or thought as long as the man kept his proper distance. Now – If only he would speak.

When they reached Snape's quarters, Harry found himself deposited on the couch as Snape disappeared into his potions storage room. As before, Snape came back bearing a pot of bright blue bruise balm. Of course, Harry thought, resigned. I've got a bruise. He can't possibly yell at me, I might die of the bruise.

“I'm fine,” Harry said.

“Shirt off, please,” Snape answered him shortly, sitting next to him on the couch.

Slightly embarrassed, Harry pulled his shirt over his head to reveal his torso, chest and arms – all peppered with little bruises. Oh yeah, Harry remembered. The keys.

Snape was frowning at him. “Keys,” Harry explained softly. Snape nodded, face set. When he opened the balm and reached for Harry's face, Harry pulled back.

“I'm fine,” he said again. Snape ignored him, just leaning forward to grip Harry's chin and turn his head so he could spread the balm on his cheek. Once again, Harry pulled back sharply, breaking the contact.

“Would you just fucking yell at me?” Harry snapped.

Snape sat back, staring at him. “Would you prefer that?”

Maybe, Harry realized. He hated it when Snape was so nice when he was so mad. The last thing Harry wanted at times like this was a reminder of how much Snape cared for him. He was a horrible son. “Just – I'm fine, okay?” he said more softly. “I'll heal on my own.”

“And as your father I'm supposed to just accept that?” Snape asked him.

“Yes,” Harry said stubbornly.

“No,” Snape said simply. “Now stay put, please.”

Once again he reached out, and once again Harry pulled back. This time the man's eyebrows snapped together in a fierce scowl. “You can be sure that I will yell at you, and probably ground you et cetera, but first I am going to care for your bruises, and you are going to stay. put.”

His tone was sharp, and this time Harry didn't pull back. He was stiff, though, and Snape noticed.

“What's wrong?” the man asked finally, spreading balm gently over the cut on his cheek.

“You're mad at me,” Harry finally told him.

Snape just kept spreading, fingers careful. “Yes, and-?”

“So why are you being nice to me?” he asked him.

Severus stared at the boy, suddenly struck with the memory of sitting on this same couch with him, just after Harry'd tried to burn down his office. Harry had wanted to treat his own face, rather than let Severus do it. He'd started to cry, even.

“Why does that bother you?” he asked finally.

“I just don't know what to expect from you!” Harry told him. “You're mad, why won't you just be mad? Why do you have to pretend like you're not? I was horrible, why won't you just treat me like I deserve?” He heard his voice crack, and looked away from Snape, once again pulling away from the hand that was so gently treating his face.

“And what is it that you deserve, Harry?” Severus asked him sharply.

Harry stared at him, suddenly realizing what he'd said, what it sounded like. “I- I don't know,” he said, knowing he was lying. He knew exactly what he deserved. Snape'd never give it to him, though. He'd be horrified if he knew Harry still thought that way.

“I have told you that I will not hit you, Harry,” Snape said, voice still sharp. “Did you think I would deny you healing, when you need it?”

“But I don't need it,” Harry said. “I'll heal on my own, just fine. They're just bruises.”

“They'll get worse, first,” Snape pointed out, “and there's no reason to have you in pain.”

“But-” Harry gave up. This was just one of those 'Snape' things that just didn't make sense. It would never occur to the man that Harry deserved the bruises. He probably wouldn't agree even if Harry explained it to him. He'd probably just get mad at the Dursleys. Somehow it would still be less stressful, though, if Snape would just – punish him and get it over with. As it was, Harry kept waiting for him to blow up, despite knowing that he never would. Snape didn't blow up, at least not at Harry. The angriest he ever got was at anybody who hurt Harry. Which didn't make matters any better.

“Could you just yell at me first, and then heal me?” he finally asked.

“I am not going to yell at you,” Snape said.

“You did last time,” Harry told him.

Snape sighed. “True. I will endeavor not to yell at you.”

“So?” Harry asked, wanting an answer to his previous question.

Snape gave him a long look. “Would you cooperate with me, then?” he asked him finally.

Harry nodded. “Please?”

“You want me to scold you?” Snape clarified.

Harry scowled at him. “No, but you're going to.”

Snape scowled right back. “Yes, I am, because that you do deserve. What did you think you were doing?”

What to say? He didn't want to get Blaise in trouble, but it had been his idea... “I don't know...” Harry said hesitantly.

Snape's scowl deepened. “Very well, I'll ask in another manner. Your friend Blaise said it was his fault, and that you didn't want to go. What did he mean?”

“I said I wouldn't go,” Harry told him finally, “but then Blaise said he'd go anyway. I couldn't just let him go alone!”

“And so you just followed him into the single most dangerous area of the school for absolutely no reason, and dragged three others along with you?”

“I knew it was stupid!” Harry said. “And Blaise isn't usually that stupid, but he was going! What was I supposed to do?”

“What did I tell you the last time you went running off after somebody?”

“I couldn't tell on him!” Harry protested, raising his voice. “And I don't know what's up with him! He was being weird.”

“All the more reason to tell me, Harry! You think he'd be in more trouble than now?”

“Maybe I didn't think you'd care!” Harry shouted finally.

“Of course I'd care!”

“You don't care now!”

Severus paused, staring at his son, and took a deep breath. “Right now, no. Right now, I only care about you. But I have a responsibility to all of the students of this school, and besides that Blaise is a friend of yours. I would not have ignored your concern. Right now, however, I am faced with the fact that you nearly got yourself killed. Again. And this time, even you cannot say you had a real reason for it. Why would you do that, Harry? Even you have said it was stupid.”

“I- I didn't know it would be that bad,” Harry explained hesitantly. “At first, we just thought the dog was guarding something. We just wanted to know what it was. And then Hagrid was being all mysterious about it, so we wanted to know even more. And then Blaise said we should go see. We- we drugged the dog because we knew he was dangerous, but we really didn't know there'd be anything else, honest.”

Severus stared at him. “And you didn't stop, once you got out of the Devil's Snare?”

“Umm...” Harry said. “No.”

“So then we could say that, though you didn't expect the next challenges, precisely, you took them on willingly.”

Harry swallowed. It does sound like that, doesn't it? “I-it was the keys,” he defended. “They weren't dangerous, really. A little painful, but they weren't going to kill me.”

“And the wizard's chess? And the troll?” Snape asked patiently. “Were they 'not going to kill you'? You could have stopped that chess game at any time.”

Harry winced. “I- I guess we... kind of forgot that we didn't have to get through,” he said finally. “It was just like, okay, we lived through that one, now on to the next. And the chess wasn't that bad, once we figured out that Blaise could be the king, and then nobody would get hurt unless we actually lost. And the pieces don't always 'kill' the king, anyway...”

It was weak, he knew, and Snape frowned at him. “Try again,” he said. “Actually, don't. I don't want to hear what you would come up with to excuse the troll.”

“L-like I said,” Harry said anyway. “We kind of forgot that it wasn't essential; that we could stop. And anyway we kind of did have to get through – there was no way to get back the way we came, a-and-”

“and you didn't want to get caught,” Snape finished for him. “Which you certainly would have been had you gotten stuck in the middle of the chamber.”

Unsure what to say, Harry just nodded.

Snape stared into his eyes, and Harry finally looked away. He could see it when Snape crouched down in front of him, but he didn't look back.

“Look at me, Harry.”

Oh, he hated that request. Nonetheless, he obeyed, meeting Snape's serious black eyes reluctantly. “Do not ever put yourself in more danger out of fear of my anger, do you understand me?” Snape asked him, eyes intense. “There is no reason for you to fear me more than a troll.”

“Says you,” Harry told him, half joking and half serious.

It was the seriousness that Snape answered, though. “That's going to take awhile, isn't it?” he asked softly. Harry looked away again, unable to bear the gentle look in his eyes.

“I'm not – I'm not scared of you,” he said quietly. “It's not that, it's just-” he paused, and tried again. “You can fight a troll,” he finally managed. “Trolls have never actually hurt me before.”

Snape sighed, and nodded. “Alright,” he said. “But try. I am angry. You know what it's like when I'm angry, and I am sure it is not pleasant for you, as I do not intend for it to be so. But I will never, ever, hurt you, Harry. You are my son. I- love you. That is why I get angry.”

“I - I know, Dad,” Harry said finally. The last word was hard to say, still, but he was trying. “I'm sorry.”

Snape smiled, just a little. He always did when Harry managed to call him that. “I know,” he said. “I know you are.”

“But I'm always sorry,” Harry finished for him, ashamed.

“You cannot be perfect, Harry,” Snape told him. “If you could, you wouldn't need me. I would prefer, however, if you would try.”

I'll try to be good, Harry remembered, swallowing around a lump that suddenly appeared in his throat at the words. “I do try,” he protested weakly. “I- I just suck at it, is all.”

To his surprise, Snape smiled a little, almost sadly. “You do try,” he agreed. “That is what is so frustrating.”

Harry didn't really know what to say to that, and so just stayed silent, avoiding Snape's gaze.

Snape's voice when he spoke had regained its seriousness. “If you continue in this way, Harry, you will be killed. This world is not safe for you. There will always be more dangers out there than I can protect you from. You have survived so far on phenomenal luck. Do not think because you have survived this long, that you cannot be killed. And do not ever think that I prefer you obedient to alive. I would do- quite literally anything to keep you safe. I believe you know that, by now.”

Harry nodded a little, subdued.

“Good. Now you got caught by the school, this time, in addition to by me. That meeting will be tomorrow. You will probably be suspended and I won't even contest it. But that is irrelevant at the moment. The school will cover being up in the middle of the night in a part of the castle that is forbidden to you, but I have my own rules about what my son may and may not do. And you have put yourself in unnecessary danger no fewer than six times tonight.”

Harry moved to interrupt, but Snape's expression blackened. “Six, Harry. You may think those keys would not have harmed you, but you could easily have fallen from the broom. It was the keys' programmed goal to knock you off.”

“But the dog wasn't any more dangerous than things we've done in class!” Harry protested. “We drugged him! And the plant was unintentional – we just fell on top of it!”

“Would you like me to add stealing potions to the total, then?” Snape asked him “And my own rules about getting up at night? How about the fact that you had no idea how many trials you were going to face, and you continued anyway?”

“But-”

“And do you honestly think arguing with me is going to help your case at this point, Mr. Potter?”

“But-”

“Harry James.”

Harry closed his mouth. It was only about the third time Snape had called him that, and he was pretty certain at this point that it did not indicate good things for him. For one thing, the man hadn't liked his father.

“I had considered putting you under the same restrictions as when you tried to burn down my office-”

Harry gave a little yelp of protest, horrified.

“ - but I do realize that this was not quite as intentional as that,” Snape continued, “and that last time you were not also going to suffer the school's censure. As such, I will remove the Quiddich restriction. Other than that, same deal. You are here, all day, every day for the next two weeks. In addition, you will have two hours of detention with me every night. This is strictly in addition to whatever the school assigns. As to the school- I should let you know now that being suspended will not be a vacation. I will find something for you to do with the time. Do you understand?”

Harry swallowed hard, trying to get his mind around it. The Quiddich concession was a relief, but the rest-. He swallowed again, trying to fight back tears so Snape wouldn't see. Once again, though, he wouldn't ask Snape to lighten it. He had too much pride, and anyway it wouldn't help.

Snape regarded him seriously. “I don't like this much more than you do, Harry. But you give me very little choice. I cannot allow you to continue in this fashion.”

Harry nodded a little, avoiding the man's gaze and trying not to be mad at him. He wanted to be, badly. He hadn't had any choice, not with Blaise rushing off into things, but he'd never really expected Snape to accept that. As Snape had said, he didn't care much about others, if Harry was in danger. Theo had said much the same about his father, before. “Blaise-” he finally said, though, needing his father to understand.

“I'll talk to him,” Snape said seriously.

Harry nodded, and found his lip trembling. Shit. He was going to cry. “M-may I be dismissed, sir?” he asked shakily.

“I still need to treat your bruises,” Snape answered, voice gentle as he stared into Harry's face.

Harry looked back at him, eyes pleading. He was going to cry. He was already losing that battle, and Snape was going to see him cry, and that was horrible. He once again tried to fight back the tears, but he felt the first start to slide down one cheek anyway. Before he could move to wipe it away, he was wrapped in strong arms, feeling his head pressed into his father's chest with one big hand. He still smells like potions, he noticed as his hands came up to grip Snape's robes. Even in the middle of the night. How gripping onto Snape this way was less humiliating than crying in front of the man he didn't know, but it was. And it was still the safest place on the entire planet, potions smell and all. He never wanted to let go, and held on even after he was done crying, as Snape's one hand remained on his head, and the other ran slowly up and down his back.

“I don't like you,” he finally said, voice muffled.

Snape sighed, and loosened his grip on Harry to look at him. “I know you don't. Come let me treat your bruises, please.”

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

“You three,” Snape said, leaning over the desk at Blaise, Theo, and Harry the next morning, “are quite possibly the most reckless, foolhardy, and otherwise suicidal first-years I have had the pleasure of dealing with in all my time teaching at Hogwarts. I talked to Harry last night, so I know what he was thinking – if anything – but I have yet to hear from you two,” he continued menacingly. “So. Would you care to explain?”

To his surprise, Blaise raised his chin and spoke impudently. “Not particularly, sir.”

Theo gaped at his friend, and evidently decided to intervene. “We were curious, sir,” he said nervously. “We didn't know it would be that dangerous. Not after Harry drugged the dog and everything, anyway.” Seeming to realize what he'd let slip, he gave Harry wide eyes, but Harry shrugged back. Snape had already known, anyway.

“You. were. curious.,” Snape repeated, taking his attention off Blaise for a moment to glower at Theo. “And you did not remember what happened when you ran off after the last troll, Mr. Nott?”

Theo paled.

“And yet you figured 'curiosity' was a reason to risk death and give your father a heart attack?” Snape continued, shooting a glance over to Harry. Harry looked down, reading from the gaze that the man meant the reprimand for him as much as for Theo. Sorry.

“B-but it wasn't that-”

“Mr. Nott I would advise you to rethink that statement before you finish it. I count six times that you knowingly put yourself in mortal danger for no better reason than 'curiosity,'” Snape cut him off furiously.

To all evidences giving up, Theo looked down.

Severus turned his gaze on Blaise, next. “And you, Mr. Zabini? Were you 'curious', too?”

Blaise shrugged. “Curious and bored,” he told him nonchalantly.

“Sir,” Severus demanded.

Blaise just stared at him, openly hostile.

Severus frowned. Blaise usually liked him, and at any rate was usually more cautious than this even with teachers he didn't like. “Is there a particular reason, Mr. Zabini, that you think it a good idea to provoke me right now?”

“Provoke you, sir?” Blaise answered. “Wouldn't dream of it.”

Severus froze, staring into Blaise's eyes and surprisingly tempted to intrude into his thoughts. Harry's right. It is as if the boy has nothing to lose.

And so he used a trick that sometimes worked with Harry. Ignoring the current conversation, he struck for the heart of the issue. “What is wrong, Mr. Zabini?” he asked, allowing his tone to soften marginally.

“Wrong, sir?” Blaise asked innocently.

“Do not play dumb with me, Mr. Zabini,” Severus said bluntly. “You know perfectly well what I mean. Theo and the Gryffindors I can understand: they follow you. But Harry is usually your accomplice in these things, and this time even he was intelligent enough to judge this a bad plan. You lead your friends into this. Either your judgment is off, or you simply do not care. I want to know which, and why.”

Blaise just stared at him, like a deer caught in the headlights of a car. Perceptive, Harry. No wonder the boy'd been unable to just let his friend rush off.

Severus met the boy's stare, unblinking, until the boy looked away.

Better. “We will speak later, in private,” he said. “And I will get my answer. But for now, you all have a meeting with the headmaster, and then your parents.”

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Dumbledore's office was crowded with the five Slythindors and the two heads-of-house filling it. Harry stood ramrod straight, side by side with Blaise, staring at the headmaster with his chin slightly raised. He looked up suddenly when he felt Snape's hand on his shoulder. The man frowned at him, and he smiled slightly. I wasn't gonna be rude. But neither he nor Blaise particularly trusted the man, but with Snape in the room, he'd put up with it. Nudging Blaise, he got the other boy's attention and indicated Snape, and the other boy nodded, posture relaxing marginally.

Hermione was clutching Ron's hand, and they were both clearly too terrified about being hauled up in front of the headmaster to remember that boys and girls didn't do that. Poor Hermione, Harry thought. Ron looked petrified, but he was at least used to being in trouble.

Theo didn't have a problem with the headmaster, that Harry knew of, but he was clearly as nervous as the two Gryffindors as he twisted side by side and twirled his hair.

Dumbledore himself stared down at the five of them gravely.

“I am sure,” he said, “that your heads-of-house have already taken the trouble to explain to you the gravity of the choices you made last night. You were all warned at the beginning of the year of the danger associated with that area of the castle, and forbidden from entering it. I had hoped that we would get to the end of the year without another incident from the five of you, but now I must only hope that at the very least you will learn from the incident. You are all suspended for a week, and, in addition, fifty points will be taken from each of you.”

“E-each? Sir?” Ron repeated.

“Yes, Mr. Weasley,” Dumbledore said, sounding regretful. “Each. I suppose it is time Ravenclaw won the cup, anyway.”

A rattling sound could be heard, and Dumbledore pointed to a smaller version of the house counters on his desk. Indeed, Ravenclaw was in the lead, and Hufflepuff right behind them. There was no way they could make up the difference in either house before the end of the term.

Somehow, Harry didn't care all that much about the points. Blaise didn't seem to mind much, either – he was still just tense, and his facial expression didn't change. Ron, Hermione, and Theo all looked crushed, though. It's worst for Theo, he realized. He cares about points, and he cares that his dad'll be mad. It didn't seem quite fair, that Blaise and he had lead, and Theo was bearing the brunt of the punishment. Ron and Hermione, too, he thought. Hermione hated being in trouble at all, for any reason, with anyone, and the Weasley family's fear of their mum was legendary.

“That is not fair, sir,” Harry heard Blaise say, more respectful than he'd been all day.

“Not fair, Mr. Zabini?” Dumbledore asked politely. “How so?”

“It was my fault, sir. I lead the others into it, and frankly I don't give a damn about the points.”

Dumbledore smiled. “Ah, it is good of you to come to the defense of your friends, Mr. Zabini, but I fear I cannot lighten their punishment for it. Unless, as I very much doubt, you managed to compel their actions in some manner, they had every chance to back out of this, and as such hold every responsibility for their actions. I will say, however, that this leadership quality you have – both in leading people around you into following you, and your tendency to defend them in turn – is a good and powerful one. Use it well, Mr. Zabini.”

Blaise snorted lightly. “Better than this fiasco?” he said.

Dumbledore smiled slightly. “Yes indeed. It is the unfortunate burden of leaders that they cannot allow their personal pain to outweigh the need to lead carefully. You cannot afford to risk your life, Mr. Zabini, without also risking the lives of others. Of course, we would also prefer that you not be so happy to risk your own life, but then perhaps that is too much to wish for at this particular moment in time.”

Huh? Harry wondered. Blaise seemed to have mostly gotten it, though. His face betrayed a certain puzzlement, but he nodded seriously to the headmaster, and his posture was much more relaxed than before.

“Very well,” Dumbledore said. “Follow your heads-of-house to their offices for conferences with your parents. I will see you all at the end-of-year feast.”

Suddenly glad that his 'parental conference' was already over, Harry watched Theo, Ron, and Hermione exchange agonized looks before Ron and Hermione turned to follow McGonagall, and a hand on Blaise's shoulder prompted the other three to turn and follow Snape.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>