Worried about what his friends would say, Harry grabbed his book bag and snuck carefully out of Snape's quarters, being sure not to touch or disturb anything.

In the corridors he was cautious of any Slytherins until he exited in the Entrance Hall and made his way to the Great Hall where a few late risers were still sitting and eating breakfast.

Hermione spotted him and hurried over.

"Harry, what happened to you? Ron said you didn't come back last night!"

He scratched the back of his head. "Er, I skipped class yesterday and fell asleep in a classroom on the second floor. Snape found me round midnight when he was patrolling and read me the riot act for missing class and then his detention. I've got detention every night for the next week with him now."

"Oh Harry, how will you ever get sleep if you're doing detention all night?"

Here Harry cracked a fake grin. "He told me to work til' he came to get me again last night... and then he left. Probably went to bed himself the slimy git," Harry said. He looked around to see if anybody else was listening and said quietly, "I chucked the mop and went to sleep on the floor. He didn't come back until this morning. Thought he'd gotten one over on me giving me an all night detention."

She frowned and Harry shrugged. "Hey, it wasn't fair to give me a six hour detention was it? And the floor was clean when he came back."

"How if you were asleep?"

Harry pulled out his wand and twirled it. "I love magic. I even left a little dirt in the corners so it looked like I was lazy and hadn't cleaned it all."

Hermione frowned at him again but left the subject alone as she ushered him over to the table and started piling food onto his plate.

"I am 16 you know. I can serve myself."

"You're still too thin," she chastised him in a very Molly Weasley like way.

"Ok Molly," Harry laughed.

"But who's Moll-" she glared at him then and turned away to study her Rune's book.

Harry spent the day by himself catching up on the work he had missed, and played a game of chess at lunch with Ron, sneaking two apples, a banana, and an orange off the table and into his book bag, a habit he got into every summer that he found hard to break in the first few months of the new school term. He hated how he felt the need to sneak food and store it somewhere. He never let it go to waste, sometimes giving it to classmates, usually Ron, who were hungry after curfew, sometimes putting a freezing charm on it and hiding it in his desk or trunk for later... just in case.

After dinner, when Harry felt again too tired to stay awake, he started up the stairs to Gryffindor tower when Ron nudged him and asked, "Forgetting something mate?"

"Huh?" Harry rubbed his left eye.

"Detention? With the bat in the dungeons?"

"Oh... yeah. Guess I'll see you when I get back. Unless he makes me pull an all-nighter again. Last night he even threatened that I'd have to sit there and do extra homework in front of him if I slacked off, so we'll see."

Ron pulled a face and then waved goodbye and Harry glumly made his way back down to the dungeons, unsure of if he was to meet the man in his office or his quarters. He was half looking forward to getting more of the potion, which seemed to be helping early this morning, but was also not looking forward to being in the man's presence again, especially not now that he knew all of Harry's secrets and would be able to use them against him. Harry could also not deny that he was very uncomfortable being around somebody he considered unpredictable. Not that he liked being around Uncle Vernon, but he always knew what would happen at four Privet Drive. With Snape, who was able to intimidate Harry in any number of ways, he was unsure of what would happen next.

Deciding to try his office first, he stopped outside and knocked. The door opened to reveal a seventh year Slytherin prefect and a second year Gryffindor Harry didn't remember the name of.

"You're late Potter," Snape sneered. Harry blinked tiredly before remembering that this was supposedly detention. He took a moment to notice that the second year... Marcus? Michael? Looked a little scared and tried to give him an encouraging look, even though he received a sneer from the Prefect in return.

"You are to mop lab classroom C and D tonight, and if I find dirt in the corners again you'll be here all night, am I understood?"

"Yes sir." Harry frowned a little and moved off. C and D were the two largest classrooms, usually used for the first and second years and usually with the most stains on the floors and walls, and sometimes even the ceilings.

Harry went to the supply closet first and retrieved the mop and bucket, and moved into classroom C first, noting the purple goop that had hardened around two of the workbenches on the floor. As he surveyed the room, he wondered if any of these permanent stains had been caused by him and Ron, or even Neville. He set to work, and it was thirty minutes before Snape appeared in the doorway and gave him a dirty look.

"Potter, what are you doing?"

Harry looked up, confused. "Mopping?"

Snape sneered then and in that sneer Harry was told everything he needed to know... he wasn't actually supposed to do the detention and he was apparently a stupid dunderhead. And yes, Harry was positive that was what Snape was thinking at that moment.

"Put it away Potter and follow me."

At the door to Snape's private quarters, Harry asked, "What did he do? The second year?"

"That is none of your business Potter." Harry could tell the man was in a bad mood, possibly from having to deal with the second year, and Harry suddenly didn't envy whatever detention had been bestowed upon the boy.

He followed Snape straight back to the guest room, trying to catch a better look at the rest of the quarters but to no avail because the man in front of him took long, fast strides that Harry had to work to keep up with.

Inside Harry sat on the bed and waited for Snape to come in with the potion. When he came back he set it on the nightstand and looked around, unable to find whatever it was that he wanted.

"Where did you put the bruise balm?"

Harry froze. It was in his bag at his feet on the floor, but he couldn't tell Snape that could he? Was he not allowed to take it from the room? Wait, that hadn't mattered the night before, had it, because he had intended to steal it for himself in case the man chucked him out on his arse. He really hadn't anticipated actually coming back for a second night and being asked where he had placed it.

"Well?"

Damn it, damn it, Harry thought. Could he distract him somehow and pull it out of his bag? But then where would he put it? On the night stand where he was just looking?

"I don't know." It was one of those automatic responses that slipped out and sealed Harry's fate. He had no choice but to keep lying now.

"It was on this nightstand last night."

Harry shook his head, eyes a little wider than normal. "I don't know," he repeated, and then, tired as he was, his mind gave him away as it directed his eyes down towards his bag, if only for a split second. And Snape had seen it.

"Empty your bag Potter." It was not a request, and Harry shook his head again.

Seeing that Harry wouldn't comply, he reached down for it but Harry's sixteen-year-old Seeker reflexes were faster, and he snatched it up off the floor and clutched it to his chest.

"That's my stuff," he said, trying to cover his actions.

Snape held out his hand. "You are trying my patience Potter." Harry bit his lip and the second he looked away, Snape had snatched it out of his arms just as fast as Harry was able to snatch it up off the floor. Had Snape been a seeker? Harry didn't have much time to ponder it however as Snape was unceremoniously dumping the contents of the bag on the bed. Out came a few quills, parchment, books, notes, the nicked fruit from lunch, and the bruise balm.

Snape held it up for Harry to see and gave him a calculating look. "This is the thanks I get for trying to heal your worthless little body and help you sleep? You steal from me and then lie about it?"

Harry shook his head again, unsure of what to say, and then watched as the professor scanned the rest of the bag's contents on the bed and as he lingered overlong on the fruit.

"And you've been stealing from meals as well?"

Another shake of the head and Harry felt frozen as he could see the man visibly wrestling with himself to control his temper. Finally it seemed that the man had won, and he said calmly, "Get out." His finger pointed resolutely at the open bedroom door.

"But the potion?"

"Get- out."

Harry stood, aware that the calmness in the tone was slowly giving way to something much more unpleasant, and quickly tried to gather his things back in his bag. A firm hand reached out to grab his when he went for the fruit however.

"Leave it."

Harry looked up with question in his eyes. He didn't think it was against rules to take extra food from the table, was it? He snuck it only because he didn't want questions from his friends or housemates, but they were supposed to be allowed all the food they wanted here, weren't they?

"But, it's mine."

"It's not yours Potter, it belongs to the school."

Snape released his firm grip on Harry's wrist, and Harry went for one of the apples again before he was startled by Snape's shout of, "OUT!" Harry jumped and looked at the man, who had definitely lost control over his emotions now and looked murderous. And yet, Harry couldn't relinquish the fruit. He felt like he needed to have something with him at all times, just in case. He half fancied grabbing the apple and snatching the bruise balm away from the man before making a run for it, but he had no doubt the man would hunt him down and kill him.

"I- I need it," he tried, faltering at the look on the man's face. He reached for it one more time, and then Snape moved toward him fast, and Harry reacted, apple in hand to shield his face for the impact, and sank to the floor, cowering as if he were back at four Privet Drive and this was uncle Vernon towering over him, denying him the food.

"P- please," Harry said, voice as shaky as his hands, eyes clenched closed and head bowed, hands still above him.

There were long silent moments and no blows came reigning down upon him. There were no kicks, no screaming, and Harry was still on the floor waiting for something, anything to happen just so that he could get it over with. Instead, there was a hand on his shoulder, and he flinched at the unexpectedly gentle contact.

"Get up." The voice was quiet, strained somehow, but not from anger. Harry couldn't place the emotion behind the words but knew it seemed foreign coming from Snape's lips.

Harry chanced a glance up at the man, who had backed up several steps to give Harry his space, and after another moment, raised himself slowly from the floor, and swallowed hard.

"Sit down."

He obeyed, wondering if this were a trick. Perhaps the man wished to lead him into a false sense of security.

"Why did you feel the need to hide the balm?"

Harry looked away, ashamed. The more Snape knew, the more ashamed Harry felt. After long quiet moments however, it seemed that Snape would wait all night for an answer, and Harry said, "Because you were going to kick me out eventually, and I needed it."

Severus swallowed, although Harry didn't see because he was too busy examining the floor.

"You believed I would withhold it from you?"

Harry nodded, and Severus scanned the fruit on the bed again as well as the apple clutched protectively to the boy's stomach. "And the fruit?"

Now the boy's face turned red and he could tell he was ashamed. When he didn't answer, Severus said, "Remove your shirt so that I can apply the balm to your back. Then you may take the potion."

Harry looked up. "Sir?" His voice was still uneven... unsure.

"Do as I say and you may keep the balm with you."

Harry thought on it briefly and then removed his shirt, allowing the balm to be smeared over his bruises. Snape did as he promised and gave Harry the potion, and then closed the door and left the room.

Confused, Harry lay back on the bed. How had they gone from such mayhem to such calm so fast? Harry looked at the apple in his hand in the darkened room and placed it back in his bag, feeling like his life was upside down. He had been hurt and in need, and Snape had helped. He had lost his secrets, and Snape had kept them. He had lied outright, and the man had not beaten or punished him. He hadn't even kicked him out.

Harry lay down and rolled onto his side, hugging himself for comfort. This must all be a dream he thought. How could it not be?

* * *

Harry's real dreams sounded like an alarm in the dead of night. Severus was pulled from a troubling dream himself by the screams of terror coming from the next room. Harry was rolling around on the bed trying to defend himself from a dream attacker, and very aware of the sore jaw he had from the night before when Harry had accidentally smacked him in his sleep, Severus pondered how to wake the boy. Finally he decided on putting a body bind on him before moving close enough to shake him from his sleep.

Harry startled and Severus lifted the body bind so that the boy could move.

"Obviously the dose is still too low. What are you dreaming about?"

Harry hugged himself in much the same way he had done while falling asleep, and refused to look up at his professor.

"You are already well over your safe dosage for this potion Potter. If I give you any more it may do your body damage."

After a moment of thought, Harry said, "I think it helped a little. I don't think I dreamed for all that time... just right at the end."

"And the dreams involved?"

His face turned red. Usually they were back and forth between Voldemort and Uncle Vernon, sometimes even Dudley. Tonight it had been Snape beating him until he cowered and cried.

"Usually somebody trying to hurt me," Harry finally settled on, not sure why he was answering the man at all.

"Such as?"

Harry swallowed. Occlumency lessons had not gone well last year, and he feared he would be forced into them again if he mentioned Voldemort. He already felt bad about lying earlier with all that Snape had done to help him so far, so he swallowed and took the chance.

"Voldemort," he said coldly, trying to swallow back his emotions. "And my uncle. Sometimes both." He chanced a glance up at Snape and received a calculating look in return.

"You have been unable to occlude your mind before sleeping?"

"All I can think about is being exhausted and how I won't get any sleep if I try."

"Come out into the living room."

Snape walked out the door and Harry sat there on the bed dumbly, wondering what the man intended to do. He didn't fancy getting something thrown at him again if he failed at occlumency.

Finally deciding that he had to do something if the potion wasn't going to get the job done, he rose and walked out to the living room in bare feet, grateful that the floor was carpeted and not overly cold.

Snape was sitting in a leather chair by the cold fireplace, waiting calmly, and Harry took the seat across from him.

"You described your dreams sometimes intermingling. How often does this happen?"

Harry swallowed and fidgeted with his fingers. "More often than not," he said quietly.

"And how do they start?"

He felt queasy at the thought of divulging yet more information to this man, but knew how persistent he could be if he chose to and didn't have the energy to do the delicate dance of avoidance just at the moment.

"Usually with my uncle... then it changes to Voldemort half way through. He watches and laughs before joining in."

Snape was thoughtful for a moment, and then said, "He may be breaching your mind when you are most vulnerable to attack. He may also be sifting through your worst memories in order to deprive you of sleep and weaken you."

Harry scratched the back of his head. "I don't know how to keep him out."

After an unbearable length of silence, Harry felt he had to look up to see what was going on, and Snape was looking right at him. "Do you want to get the dark lord out of your mind?"

Harry nodded.

"If I attempt to teach you occlumency once again, will you apply yourself with that in mind?"

Harry frowned but nodded.

"Occlude your mind now then. When you are ready, give me a sign so that we can start. You will force me out of your mind by keeping it clear and by pushing against my mind with your own. Do you understand?"

Harry nodded a third time and then closed his eyes. The images that met him were those of his most recent nightmare. Snape had him cornered in some dark, secluded part of the castle and was wailing on him relentlessly, telling him how worthless he was. Then there was Voldemort in a shadow, laughing and jeering and egging Snape on.

"I said clear your mind Potter, not dwell on what you do not wish me to see."

Harry's eyes popped open and he looked across the few feet to Snape.

"How can you tell?"

"You are biting your lip and fidgeting. Your face does not express a calm emptiness, but rather an unpleasant thought process. Try again. Do not think of what you do not wish me to see."

Harry's heart was pounding now for some reason he couldn't pin down. This wasn't fair. He'd never get this and before the night was out the man before him was bound to see Harry's fears.

He cast his mind around for an image that was anything but Snape beating him, and the only thing he could think of was the castle. He imagined flying around the castle on his broom, the wind whipping through his hair, calming his nerves and the pure joy of flight that always seemed to set him back on balance when his nerves were frayed.

Feeling calm at last, and far away from where he didn't want to be, Harry lifted his hand a little as a sign he was ready. It was a few moments before he could feel Snape in his mind, trying to prize away his calm serenity.

Harry imagined some new moves he'd been trying to master on his broom, and when he felt Snape peeling back the layers of his emotions he glanced up at the castle to steady himself and give him a sense of location, as he often did when he was out flying. This turned out to be a mistake however as Snape used it as a way to gain entrance to memories involving the castle, and now they were inside the entrance hall and flying up the stairs towards some unknown part of it.

Draco appeared out of nowhere and tripped Harry, sending his book bag flying as people around him laughed, and Harry tried to imagine being back outside again, panicking because this had happened a few days before.

They were still working their way up through the castle and now they were in an empty classroom where Harry was standing nervously facing down his Potions Master who had just discovered him sleeping. Harry felt very intimidated then and his remaining defense crumbled, and they were in a dark corridor, Snape telling him in a variety of ways how worthless he was as he beat him down time and again.

Harry struggled to get away but the taunts struck him down each time and soon he believed it himself. Then it wasn't Snape standing there anymore, but uncle Vernon with a belt, and they were in Privet Drive. Harry was being punished for his worthlessness, and being told how undeserving he was of kindness, love, and respect. Unwilling to move to help himself anymore, Harry lay there and took it, trying only to stem the flow of tears else he prove his uncle's point of how weak he was.

It was at this point that Severus backed out of Harry's mind of his own accord, a little startled at seeing himself compared to such a brutal man in the boy's eyes. Harry sat on the other side of the fireplace, breathing heavily and trying to master his emotions, failing miserably as a few tears escaped and tattled all the way down his cheeks.

Harry stood then and wiped furiously at his eyes. Words choked, he said, "I can't do this. I can't. I can't," and he hurried quickly back to the guest room and shut the door heavily.

Severus remained sitting by the cold hearth, aware now that he had only contributed to the boy's problems in the past and had only contributed to his self-image as a worthless weakling undeserving of basic human needs. He rubbed his temple and sighed heavily.

What have you done you inane fool, he thought to himself. You have set a child up for failure, much as your own father did. And now you must fix it, much as your father would not.