Severus' face was less than a quarter inch away from his pensive when he stood upright abruptly, his black eyes never leaving the swirling silvery-white contents inside the pensive. He couldn't believe he was foolish enough to almost expose himself to an unknown substance. Sure, the letter was written by Lily, but who was to say she wasn't coerced into writing what she did. And how was he to know that the substance inside the bottle was really his memories. It could have been anything.

He took his wand out of his cloak and with a flick, put the memories back into the bottle. He'd analyze them in the morning. He was currently too tired, too wound up, and, with a look at the smashed glass and almost empty bottle of fire whiskey, definitely too drunk to think clearly. Severus placed the heart-shaped bottle back in the box and placed the letter on top. He then put the box back in the dark corner of the room and retired to bed.

The next morning came too quickly and Severus awoke with a pounding headache. Glancing at the clock on the opposite wall of his bed, he realized he had overslept. He quickly got dressed and headed to the Great Hall for breakfast. Walking past his study on the way out of his quarters, he spotted the pieces of broken glass still lying in the puddle on the floor next to the chair. He vaguely remembered what happened the night before, but in his befuddled mind, thought it was more than likely just an alcohol related dream.

While muttering under his breath about Dumbledore and his stupid requirement for staff to attend all meals, Severus stalked up to the Great Hall. He arrived at the staff table just as breakfast was being served. He barely had a chance to sit down and pour himself a cup of much needed coffee when he felt a presence behind him. He set his cup on the table and turned around, eyes meeting those of the headmaster. "Headmaster," he said in a forced polite voice. The headmaster wanting to talk to him this early in the day was never good.

"Severus, my boy, would you mind meeting in my chambers this afternoon at 3 pm?" Dumbledore paused for a moment and his eyes drifted off of Severus. "I have an important matter to discuss with you."

Severus followed the old man's gaze to the Gryffindor table and his eyes landed on Harry. He rolled his eyes and groaned inwardly. Of course everything had to do with Potter. When did it not?

At the sight of Harry laughing and eating with his friends, Severus started to feel nauseous; his thoughts going back to last night; his nightmare? He therefore turned his attention back to Dumbledore. "I will be there," he ground out. "If you'll excuse me Headmaster, I just remembered I have a few things to finish up before classes this morning." Without waiting for a response, Severus grabbed his cup of coffee and stood up.

"Of course. Have a good day, Severus." With a smile and twinkling blue eyes, Dumbledore went back to his seat.

Severus, of course, didn't have anything to finish up before classes started. It was the thought that, once again, Potter was causing him more aggravation that made him leave the Great Hall and return to his quarters with coffee in hand.

As he walked through his study and stopped at his desk, his eyes narrowed and fell to the box in the dark corner, they then drifted to the quarter-full bottle of fire whiskey, the smashed glass on the floor, and the now dried sticky puddle of fire whiskey. He ran a hand over his face and closed his eyes briefly. It was then that he came to the realization that last night was not some alcohol induced nightmare. It was real!

Still standing by the desk, he finished the last of the coffee and roughly set the cup down for one of the house-elves to take away. He removed his wand from his cloak and cleaned up the mess from last night. He couldn't believe that Potter still had the ability to cause devastation even when he wasn't in a room.

Once the study was clean, he took a seat in one of the chairs by the fireplace. Glancing around, Severus thought he hid the box well enough last night. However his eyes came to rest on it seconds later. He let out a deep breath and shook his head. Seeing the box, he decided he didn't want to think about the letter or memories and especially what they meant. He wanted to forget they even existed. After all, he couldn't stand Harry and Harry couldn't stand him. Why would he even think he could be the brat's father? He was in no way related to the boy. If he was the only one to know the truth, then he was fine. He would definitely never be the one to let the truth out.

Severus quickly retrieved the box and stashed it in one of the lower shelves in the closet he used to store his rare potion ingredients.

Glad to be rid of that burden, he glanced at the clock on his desk. Seeing his first class started in five minutes, he grabbed a stack of papers from one of the piles sitting on the desk chair and stalked out of his quarters to his classroom.

~SH~

Running a little late for his second class because of a last minute trip to the loo, Harry quickly walked in to the Potions classroom. Before taking his seat next to Ron, he looked up to the front to see where Snape was. He didn't have to look far, since the moment he raised his eyes he met the steely cold glare of the potions master standing no more than two feet in front of him.

"I see you finally decided to grace us with your presence Potter," Severus spat. "If you're through interrupting class, I suggest you quickly take your seat."

Angry at Snape, Harry walked over to his seat and threw himself into his chair, pulling out his parchment and book with as much noise as he could muster. He was late by only two minutes for Merlin’s sake.

With one last glare at Harry, Severus whirled around, with robes billowing, and headed to the front of the class. "As I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted," he threw an irritated glance at Harry, "I expect you all to be able to brew the potion that you read about as homework last night. I've placed the ingredients on the board, and you can use your textbook…."

Harry leaned over to Ron and spoke in a hushed voice as Severus continued speaking to the class. "The slimy bat thinks we were going to be reading on Halloween night? He's mental."

Ron had just begun nodding his head when a shadow loomed over their heads. They both froze immediately, knowing exactly who it was. "Twenty-five points from Gryffindor. Potter, you have detention. Stay put after class." Harry looked up to see Severus' angry sneer.

When Severus left their table and continued up to the front of the room a few seconds later, Harry and Ron let out a breath. "He really is a git isn't he?" Ron asked Harry with a sympathetic look on his face.

Harry just looked at Ron and gave a slight shake of the head. He didn't want to risk getting any more detentions with Snape, especially since he still had about forty-five more minutes left in class.

Since the class was almost over and everyone should have been close to completing their potion, Severus decided to walk around the tables to see the results. After giving Draco ten points for his potion having a near correct consistency, he finally made his way to Harry and Ron's table and peered inside Harry's cauldron. "A waste of ingredients," he said icily. How anyone can be so incompetent is beyond me. The base was a first-year potion and in a sense, a first year should have been able to brew this potion." He bent down so he was face to face with Harry, his dark lank hair hanging down the sides of his face. "You should give up while you're ahead Potter," he hissed, then stood back up.

Angry at the potion master's comments, but biting both lips to keep from responding with a nasty retort, Harry took a look at his potion. It was mint green, just a little lighter in color than the potion should have been, but was the right consistency. He was fairly certain he was close to the right color though. He glanced over to Hermione's potion and saw hers was just a shade darker, and he knew hers to be correct.

"Zero points for your potion Potter." Before Harry could protest, Severus pulled out his wand. "Evanesco."

Harry looked inside his now empty cauldron and glanced up at Snape, ready to make a remark. Snape looked satisfied but ready to explode should Harry give him the chance. He looked back down and rolled his eyes, hoping the man didn't see.

"Class dismissed," said Severus a few seconds later, wanting to be rid of the 6th years. "Place your potion samples on the back desk on your way out."

Ron and Harry put their stuff in their book bags and walked over to Hermione so the three of them could go to their next class together. Once Hermione was ready, the trio made their way to the door.

Severus' cold voice wafted through the classroom just as they stepped over the threshold. "Potter, where do you think you're going? Did I not tell you to stay after class?"

Harry huffed and said goodbye to Ron and Hermione. He turned around and faced Severus. "Sorry sir. I forgot."

Severus narrowed his eyes at Harry.

Without trying to hide it this time, Harry rolled his eyes at Severus again. "Whatever," he said quietly after seeing his professor's expression.

Severus was beginning to lose his patience. "You're insolence is unbelievable, Potter. I expect to see you here at six thirty tonight for your detention." And as an afterthought, added "Wear something old." Severus decided to give Harry a more hands-on detention instead of the usual.

Harry gave a slight nod and realizing Snape was done speaking with him, quickly left the potions classroom to catch up with his friends.

Out of breath from running, Harry finally caught up with Ron and Hermione in the corridor outside of the Transfiguration classroom. He tried to squeeze in between them, but they were too close together. "Hi guys." There was no answer. He then noticed their heads were bent so close together they were almost touching and they were whispering amongst themselves. "Hey guys," he tried again, this time moving next to Ron.

"Oh. Hey Harry." Ron finally noticed Harry walking next to him. "So, what's the torture this time?"

"I have no idea. The old bat just said to wear something old."

Hermione gave Harry a stern look. "You should have tried harder on your potion, Harry."

"Come on Hermione, my potion was almost the same color as yours and it was the correct consistency. What more do you want?" Harry was getting aggravated.

"It's just…Harry you never…" Hermione began, never taking her eyes off Ron.

Harry cut her off. "Never mind," he said shortly, seeing Hermione's attention wasn't really on him at all. He sped up and entered Transfiguration and quickly took a seat next to Neville.

~SH~

Harry had just said goodbye to Ron and Hermione and was getting ready to leave the Great Hall after lunch to head to History of Magic, his next class. He was packing away his homework when a small first year approached and handed him a folded piece of parchment. He watched the boy leave, unfolded the letter and read it. The day just kept getting better. Harry began to wonder what he did now, besides getting an undeserved detention, that Professor Dumbledore wanted to see him that afternoon. Whatever it was, he doubted it could be good.

After an hour of trying to remain alert and conscious in Professor Binns' class, Harry found himself reluctantly heading for the headmaster's office and standing in front of the stone gargoyle. Before he could even begin uttering a possible password, the stone gargoyle sprung aside revealing the spiral steps leading up to Dumbledore's office. He slowly climbed the stairs, dragging his book bag behind him. When he reached the office doors, they immediately opened.

Harry hesitantly stepped into the round office and glanced around. His stomach dropped as he spotted the greasy black hair of the potions master seated in one of the chairs in front of Dumbledore's desk.

Severus turned in his chair and met Harry's eyes with a sneer and a cold glare; the reason for Dumbledore's meeting reaffirmed.

Harry broke eye contact and looked around the office for Dumbledore. Not seeing him, he put his book bag on his shoulder, walked as far from Snape as he could and stared at the various objects on the shelf in front of him. Just as he was about to pick up a gleaming sphere, he heard a door open to the left of him. He removed his hand from the sphere and turned to see Dumbledore entering the office from his private chambers and sit down at his desk.

"Harry," Dumbledore began, "how are you doing this fine afternoon?" He took a seat behind his desk and pointed a hand to the chair on the other side, next to Severus. "Why don't you take a seat?"

Harry nodded, settled himself as far away from Snape as the chair would allow him, and dropped his book bag to his feet.

Dumbledore then held a bowl in front of Harry. "Lemon drop?" At Harry's negative nod, he turned to Severus. "Severus?"

"No thank you headmaster," he said in a low voice. He wished Dumbledore would stop offering sweets before getting to the cause of his meetings.

Placing the bowl back down, Dumbledore placed his elbows on the desk and rested his chin on his steepled fingers. "I guess the two of you would like to know why I called you here this afternoon."

"Yes sir," came Harry's soft reply.

Severus said nothing.

"Harry, over the summer holiday, it has come to my attention that we need to be more vigilant in protecting you from Lord Voldemort."

Harry gave a small nod, while Severus interrupted. "Headmaster, I don't see how this has anything to do…"

Dumbledore raised a hand to stop Severus. "Let me finish Severus." He turned his attention back to Harry. "Harry, after the events that took place at the Ministry last year, I feel it is imperative that you start taking Occlumency lessons again."

Harry paled at the mention of the Ministry, his thoughts going back to Sirius, and his face showed a bit of sadness.

Severus had turned his attention to Harry as Dumbledore began speaking again and saw the change in Harry's demeanor. He gave a small smirk, glad to see the boy in distress since he again caused most, if not all, of the devastation that happened that day. He got what he deserved.

"Who will be teaching me?" Harry asked in a small voice, afraid to hear the answer.

"Professor Snape," said Dumbledore, nodding his head in the direction of Severus.

"But sir," Harry began to protest, chancing a glance at the Potion's Master.

"I will not waste my valuable time teaching this dimwitted boy," Severus interrupted, pointing his hand at Harry. "He's incapable of learning the subject, as last year proved."

Harry was becoming enraged at the Potion Master's comments. He clenched his fists and tried to speak calmly, but it was of no use. "I don't want that greasy git teaching me anything! He's the reason why…"

"Harry, please have some respect for your Professor," Dumbledore broke in.

"Sorry," he said, though not meaning it. "You hear how he talks about me Headmaster. It's the same when he talks to me. He'll just keep belittling me and getting mad when I can't push him out of my mind. Yet he never tells me how to do it!"

"I am sure Professor Snape treats you will respect and is teaching you with the best of his abilities."

Severus sneered at Harry but nodded to Dumbledore. "Thank you Headmaster."

"But sir," Harry began again.

"Believe me, I understand your concerns gentlemen," Dumbledore began, looking at the two sitting in front of him, "but I cannot just ignore the growing situation. And I'm afraid I'm not as mastered in the art as you are, Severus, to teach young Mr. Potter myself." Harry sighed, defeated. "I would like the lessons to be two hours twice a week, beginning tomorrow after dinner. You will use the same excuse as last year, Harry, if anyone questions your whereabouts."

"Yes sir," Harry replied dejectedly, looking down at his hands in his lap.

"Severus?" Dumbledore asked.

"That's fine." Wanting to humiliate the boy a little more, he continued. "If you so choose, I'll gladly meet with you after our lessons to give you an update on Potter's lack of progress."

"Come now Severus. That will not be necessary." Dumbledore stood up from his desk. "That will be all. Enjoy the rest of your afternoon." He then left his office the same way he arrived.

Not wanting to be in the vicinity of Snape any longer and wanting some time without the man until his detention, Harry grabbed his book bag and dashed out the door to the Gryffindor common room.

Severus waited until he was fairly certain Potter was already in the corridors before he left for his office. He had a little time before his next class and dinner to get ready for the boy’s detention.