"So, what do you think about it?" Severus asked the small boy currently sitting opposite from him on the small kitchen table, munching his porridge.

It was the next morning and the two wizards had just started breakfast. To say that Ophi, the house elf, had been happy when Severus had called him for the first time in many days would have been an understatement. The elf had squealed in delight when 'Young Master Harry Potter Sir' had entered the kitchen - half-carried by the Potion Master, yes, but at least he was awake and allowed to leave the bed.

Then, when Severus had only ordered porridge for the child, Ophi had almost burst into tears. However, even the elf had to admit that Harry didn't look as if he could cope with a full English breakfast just yet, and the pitiful amount he was able to eat even from the porridge before he pushed the bowl away, looking as if he had to employ all his will-power to prevent himself from sickening up, finally convinced the elf that the Master Potion Master Sir had been right.

When Harry didn't answer immediately, Severus looked up from his own breakfast. "Harry?" he prompted, slightly alarmed at how pale the boy was.

Just then, Harry started to retch.

Severus was next to Harry in less than a second. "Here, drink this!" he ordered, pressing a potion-vial against the child's lips.

Harry desperately tried to push the man away - he was going to be sick and he didn't want to puke all over the Professor (again!), but the Potion Master didn't move.

"Harry, drink this potion, you will feel better afterwards!" Severus urged, and finally, Harry parted his lips and allowed him to pour the liquid inside.

Harry swallowed the potion although he expected that the disgusting taste and the fact that he would have even more stuff in his stomach would make it even more difficult to prevent the inevitable. However, mere seconds after Professor Snape had removed the now empty vial from his lips, Harry's stomach started to settle down and a short while later he felt better than ever since he had eaten the third spoonful of porridge.

"Better now?" Severus, who was still standing next to Harry, his hand stroking the child's back, asked.

"Yes, Sir. I'm sorry-"

"Ssh, Harry, you have nothing to be sorry about. I should have expected this and given you a potion before breakfast."

"No, I mean because of pushing you away..." Harry said awkwardly.

"Oh Harry," Severus answered, sitting down again, "you don't need to be sorry about something like this. Believe me, I will tell you when you do something wrong or when you misbehave, and then you can apologize, but you will stop apologizing every ten minutes."

He took a sip of his coffee, waiting until Harry had nodded before starting to speak again. "Can you tell me what you think about my earlier proposal, Harry?"

Harry still felt uncomfortably full after all the porridge (although even he had to admit that it hadn't exactly been a huge portion), but at least the potion had helped against the worst of the nausea.

He felt a bit cornered though by the Professor's question and his request for Harry giving his opinion. Leaving Hogwarts...

On the one hand, Harry thought, going on some sort of holiday sounded great. The Dursley's had never taken him when they had travelled to the most exciting places, claiming that he was too ill. Dr Green had agreed with them, and the one time Harry had complained about not being allowed to go with his relatives, the doctor had told him that anything too exciting made it more likely for the demon to attack him again. Harry had understood this, yes, but the desire to see the sea, increased by Dudley's enthusiastic accounts, had stayed.

And now Professor Snape was offering him weeks and maybe even months of holidays, and Harry was fairly tempted to jump at the opportunity.

But on the other hand, he didn't really want to leave Hogwarts. Or, more precisely, the Professor's quarters. Professor Snape was so nice, he had even stopped teaching classes so that he could stay with Harry all the time. And Harry had his own room with the magnificent tent instead of a stupid bed, there were no scary people and, most importantly, he felt safe here. Therefore, leaving these rooms - even if it was to go on holiday - didn't sound so great.

Additionally, Harry wouldn't be able to see Ron any more if they left. He hadn't yet asked the Professor, but he hoped that his friend would be allowed to visit him again now that Harry was better. The red-headed boy had been really nice and he had said they were friends. Harry didn't want to lose this, he didn't want to lose his only friend apart from Hedwig.

And then there was the fact that he had somehow hoped that he would be allowed to go to classes again once he was better. Sure, he couldn't do any magic, but just learning new stuff was exciting. He hadn't been allowed to go to school for ages, but, as far as he could remember, he had really enjoyed the first few weeks at Hogwarts when he had been able to attend classes just like anyone else. Sure, he would need to leave the Professor's rooms if he wanted to join Ron and all the others again, but maybe it wouldn't feel so scary any more in a few weeks time?

Harry started when he heard the Professor clearing his throat. The man was eyeing him expectantly, obviously waiting for an answer. "I... I don't know!" he blurted out, not knowing what else to say.

"What is it that you are unsure of, Harry?" Severus asked kindly.

"I- I really like this going on holiday part," Harry tried to explain, "the Dursley's, they never took me, and even Dr Green said it was bad for me because of the demon. But... I don't really want to leave either. I really like it here and my room is great..." his voice trailed off.

"Harry, you do realize that, if you want to, we will return? But your recovery will take some time and I thought that you would like a change of scenery? It must be rather oppressive to be cooped up in the dungeons for weeks without ever seeing anything else."

Harry mumbled something too quiet for the Potion Master to hear.

"Sorry, Harry, what did you say?"

"I kind of like the dungeons. They're safe." Harry said, a tiny bit louder this time.

Severus could actually understand the boy. It could be difficult to venture out into the world again after being confined to a rather limited space with only very few people keeping you company for several weeks.

But it was hardly healthy - especially for a child - to live in the dungeons without ever seeing the sunlight and breathing fresh air. Sure, he could take the boy out onto the grounds, but he doubted that this would be any easier for Harry with all the other students running hither and thither.

Besides, he had seen the excitement in the child's eyes when he had mentioned the cottage at the sea he had inherited from his mother.

"I can understand that you feel reluctant to leave these rooms, Harry, but I promise that you will like the place I have in mind for us to go to. There will be no other people - though once you are better, you may invite Ronald Weasley or one of your other classmates-" he didn't got any further.

"I can still see Ron?"

"Of course," Severus frowned, "I won't forbid you to see your friends, Harry." While this was true, the Potion Master was well aware that he needed to think of something that would convince Molly Weasley to allow her son to visit Harry. It was one thing if Ronald joined Harry in his room her at Hogwarts for an hour or two, but he couldn't just side-along apparate or portkey the boy to a secret location without his mother's consent.

"So, Harry, we have established that you will still be able to see your friends and that the place where we will stay - if you agree on going, that it - is just as safe as these dungeons. There will be no other people except you and me and perhaps Madame Pomfrey or Dr Green now and then, to make sure that your recovery progresses satisfactorily. Are there any other concerns you would like to address?"

Harry looked at the man for several seconds, nibbling his lips.

"What is it, Harry?"

"May I still... I mean, once I'm better... will they allow me to go to school again?" Harry finally asked, his voice barely more than a whisper.

"Of course you will go to school again, Harry! Once you feel up to it, you can decide for yourself whether you want to return to Hogwarts or if you would prefer a different school, but I won't allow you to quit school before you have really started it!" Severus told the boy firmly.

Harry beamed and Severus wondered whether there was any other child currently in the castle that appreciated going to school as much as Harry did.

Harry was nervous. Any moment now, Professor Snape would return from Gryffindor Tower, hopefully bringing Ron with him.

"Is Master Harry Potter Master wanting something to eat?" Ophi, who had been assigned by the Potion Master to keep a close eye on Harry while he was gone asked the small wizard who was currently sitting in his tent.

"Uhm, no, thank you Ophi."

"But Master Harry Potter Master must eat to get healthy again!"

"But I just had dinner and I'm really full, Ophi," Harry answered. He didn't want to disappoint the elf but if he ate anything so soon after having lunch, he surely would throw up again. When Ophi continued to look as if he was about to burst into tears, Harry amended: "I'll eat something when Ron is here, right?"

"Good Master Harry Sir!" Ophi nodded enthusiastically.

Just then, the doors to the Professor's quarters opened and Harry could here several different voices. Seconds later, a red-headed boy came running into his room.

"Harry!" Ron exclaimed once he had spotted his friend amidst the abundance of blankets and stuffed animals.

"Hey Ron," Harry greeted back a bit shyly. He hadn't seen the other boy for several weeks and although he remembered their last meeting and that Ron hadn't blamed Harry for what the Horcrux had done, he was still a bit unsure.

Ron didn't seem to have any inhibitions, though, and plopped down next to Harry, grinning madly. "It's good to see you again, mate! The Professor kept saying that I couldn't see you and then he just disappeared and some strange fellow has been teaching us potion ever since. I was kinda worried." he finished a bit awkwardly.

"I think the headmaster said that he couldn't teach and taking care of me, and, well, he said that he thought I was more important than potions..." Harry explained, half-embarrassed, half-delighted about what Professor Snape had told him a few days ago after Harry had enquired why the Professor never left his quarters any more.

" 'course you're more important!" Ron obviously agreed with Professor Snape, "potion 's really boring!" he paused for a moment, looking at Harry thoughtfully. "So how have you been? I mean," he added, obviously not quite comfortable with such a girlie question, "when Professor Snape just disappeared I asked McGonagall whether he had abducted you, but she just looked at me weirdly and told me that you were really ill. She refused to tell me anything else, though, and even the twins didn't manage to find out more - and they're really good in these sort of things, getting information they aren't meant to have and stuff," Ron added, having seen Harry's questioning look.

"Uhm, I was kind of asleep for a few weeks," Harry answered hesitatingly. "I don't remember much, but Professor Snape told me that the Horcrux - that's the demon - got really bad and he had to give me some really powerful potion that made me sleep almost as deep as if I was dead."

"The draught of living death!" Ron breathed, completely awed. After a few seconds, though, he looked at Harry sharply. "But it's one of the most powerful potions there is! It might even kill you if you aren't careful enough!" he fell silent again, thinking about what he had just learnt. When he looked up again, his gaze was completely serious. "You must have been really ill, then..."

Harry shrugged uncomfortably. "The Professor said it was only because of the Horcrux. But it's gone now. The Professor destroyed it." as if to emphasize this statement, Harry nodded fiercely.

"It's gone?" Ron asked, looking hopeful. "So this means that it won't hit your head against the walls again? Or try to hurt you with a knife or anything?"

Harry bobbed his head. "Yup," he replied, a grin spreading across his face, "it's gone and it won't return and it can't hurt me or anyone else any more. The Professor said Fawkes ate it!"

"Who's Fawkes?" Ron asked curiously.

"Oh, it's the headmaster's bird. Professor Snape had just forced the Horcrux out of my head and than Fawkes came and ate it, and then Fawkes burnt because he is a phoenix. The Professor thinks it was Hedwig who fetched Fawkes." Harry looked proudly at his owl who was sitting on a perch next to the entrance to his tent.

"Wow!" Ron breathed.

Just then, Professor McGonagall appeared in the doorway. She smiled at Harry before turning to Ron. "Mr Weasley, I will return to my office now, I trust you will find the way back to the tower on your own. If your fellow Gryffindors haven't calmed down once you are back in your house, please let me know - although I suspect they will force you to report to me or the medi-witch anyway, if their earlier agitation is anything to go by," she added in an exasperated voice.

Harry alternately looked at the Professor and his best friend, his confusion showing clearly on his face. What did Professor McGonagall mean?

"All right, Professor!" Ron answered brightly, not the least bit disturbed by the witch's words.

"Now then, Mr Potter, I hope you will have a nice holiday and I look forward to seeing you again once you are better." Minerva McGonagall seemed to hesitate for a few moments, but then she made up her mind and strode towards where Harry and Ron were sitting on the ground. There, she leaned down and pulled Harry into a tight hug.

Before Harry really had time to register what was going on, she had straightened up again and, after giving the boy a last, fond smile, turned around and walked out of the room.

Harry and Ron looked at each other in confusion. Even Harry, during the few short weeks he had been here at Hogwarts, had learned that the stern head of Gryffindor rarely showed any emotions or even affection. Ron, of course, was even more shocked at the unusual behaviour of the teacher that had been the head of house of almost his whole family.

However, it would take more to distract a Weasley from the news that his best friend would obviously leave Hogwarts.

"You are going away?" Ron asked, looking scandalized.

"Uhu," Harry nodded in agreement, "Professor Snape said that I need to recover. He has a house at the sea where we'll be staying. I have never been at the sea before, but Dudley - that's my cousin - talked about it a lot! The Professor promised that you could visit, though..." Harry trailed off, rightly interpreting the hurt look on Ron's face.

"Really?" the red-head asked hopefully. Then, however, his expression became fearful again. "You will come back, though, won't you?" he demanded.

Harry once again nodded. "Yes, the Professor said we would come back once I'm better and that I could even attend classes again! He's really nice, isn't he?"

Ron looked in confusion at the radiating smile that spread over Harry's face when he stated that he had to go to school again after his holiday. Who would be happy about the prospect of something like that? However, he shrugged it off, putting it down to one of his best friend's many oddities.

"Uhm, Ron, what did Professor McGonagall mean when she told you that someone would force you to go to her or Madame Pomfrey?" Harry interrupted the other boy's train of thought.

For a moment, Ron looked confused, but then a grin spread over his face. "Oh, this," he giggled, "when Professor Snape came to the tower I wasn't in the common room. The other Gryffindor's don't know that you are with Snape - everyone told me that I wasn't supposed to tell anyone - and so they couldn't have known that the Professor only wanted to fetch me to see you.

"But anyway, a few of them - well, most of them - got a bit suspicious why the head of Slytherin wanted to see a Gryffindor if it wasn't for a detention, and they got a bit protective. Some of them ran to Professor McGonagall's office and told her that Snape was trying to lure me into the dungeons, and some other came to our dormitory to tell me to hide. I was - you know, on the loo - and they told me to stay put. It was only when Professor McGonagall told them to leave me out that they allowed me to open the door.

"Ehm, I think some of them were even guarding the windows, but I didn't really looked because she was shouting practically at everyone and I was worried that she would start to hand out detentions so I tried to get away from her as fast as possible. Professor Snape was waiting next to the portray hole and when he grabbed me and told me to come with him Lavender and Parvati started to cry." Ron finished his tale.

Harry looked at his friend dumbstruck. "They were afraid that Professor Snape would hurt you?"

"Yeah, well, he tells the Gryffindors pretty regularly that they would be more useful as potion-ingredients, but I don't think he really means it. I mean, he just says this so that everyone thinks he is really scary and everything, and no one tries to mess about in potions because of it - well, except Fred'n George, of course. But when it's really important he's really good, I think. I mean, he really helped you and everything. And you like him - don't you?"

"Yeah, he's great!" Harry nodded enthusiastically.

"I thought so!" Ron nodded fiercely, "so he really is a good guy and only acts all scary and mean so that no one misbehaves in class or even pranks him!"

"But, ehm, Ron," Harry said tentatively, "you were really afraid of Professor Snape when I still went to school with you. You told me not to trust him and everything."

Ron blushed. "Well, I was afraid, but only because of what everyone had told me about him. The twins get most of their detentions because of him and even Bill and Charlie - they are my brothers too, but they have already left Hogwarts - have always said that Professor Snape is strict and unfair to everyone who isn't in Slytherin. Well, and mum, she told me to stay away from every Slytherin because they were evil. But after you told me about you liking Snape and mum acting all crazy only because she couldn't understand about that demon..." Ron trailed off, looking awkward.

Harry was at a loss for what to say. "So, uhm, you don't think he is mean and evil any more - the Professor, I mean?"

Ron shook his head. "No. You like him, don't you?"

After Harry had confirmed this, Ron continued. "Yes, I thought so. And he doesn't hurt you either, or does he?"

"No, 'f course not!" Harry was outraged that Ron could even think something like this.

"There you have it! And I asked the twins, too, and they told me that they deserved most of their detentions with Snape because they keep messing up potions purposefully to see which ingredients cause the best explosions and stuff!"

"And your mum?" Harry asked.

"Well, obviously I didn't tell her anything about you or Snape any more, otherwise she would just send me a howler. But, uhm, I kind of owled Bill and told him about you and the Professor," Ron admitted uncomfortably.

Harry looked at Ron curiously, not really understanding why the other boy was bothered by his latest confession. "It's your brother, isn't it?"

"Yeah... I didn't mean to talk to him behind your back, but well, you were away and then Professor Snape was away, too..." Ron paused, looking at his friend. When Harry didn't look as if he was angry at Ron for telling his brother about everything that had happened between the two of them he felt relieved. He really hadn't wanted to betray Harry's trust, but Ron was only an eleven year-old boy and if you couldn't talk to your mother (and, consequently, neither to your father) your older brother was the next logical person to turn to.

"Well, he promised to talk to mum about me being friends with you. And he listened to me when I told him that it hadn't been you who had hurt me and he believed me! He's a curse-breaker, you know, and he told me that there were many curses that could make someone do something and that you couldn't have helped it! And Bill said that he even had a girlfriend from Slytherin back at school!" Ron wrinkled his nose - though it was more at the idea of girlfriends in general, no matter which house they were from.

"So you like Professor Snape now?" Harry clarified.

"Yes," Ron nodded his head enthusiastically, "Bill even took his NEWTs in potions - that's the exam everyone has to take after seventh year - so he must know Snape really well. He thinks that you can trust him even if he is a bit scary."

That matter settled, the conversation of the two boys turned to more ordinary subjects. At some point, Ophi brought them sandwiches - much to Ron's delight. Harry grudgingly agreed to eat at least half of one. While he hadn't been sick again, his stomach still protested against any kind of food.

About two hours later, the Potion Master came into Harry's room and told the two boys that it was time for Ron to go back to the tower since he and Harry would be leaving soon. After much protest from the red-heads side and even a shy expression of displeasure from Harry (of which Severus was rather pleased - not that he would ever admit that to anyone), Ron accepted a note from the Professor that would prevent him from getting a detention if any of the other teachers caught him on his way back to the tower, since by now it was after curfew.

Grinning, Ron pocketed the slip of paper, planing to show it Fred'n George as soon as he was back in the common room. They would be so jealous!

Unsure of the 'proper' way to take their leaves, the two boys shook hands rather formally before Ron acted on impulse and gave Harry a brief but fierce hug. When he released the smaller boy, his complexion matched his hair. However, when he saw Harry's broad smile he was reassured that he had done the right thing.

It was long after midnight when Severus and Harry finally apparated (or in Harry's case, side-along apparated) to their destination.

Poppy had insisted on giving Harry a last check-up and then Ophi had burst into tears when he learnt that he wouldn't be able to go with his two masters but had to stay at Hogwarts. Only when Madame Pomfrey promised to speak to Minerva who, as the deputy headmistress, might be able to allow him to leave Hogwarts, the distraught elf calmed down again.

And Harry - well, when the Potion Master thought that finally everything was settled and had been about to take down some of the more elaborated wards (as he wasn't one hundred percent sure that they wouldn't cause Harry any discomfort when he passed them), the boy had refused to set a foot out of the rooms he was familiar with.

"Have you forgotten something?" Severus had enquired.

"You said he could visit us, but how will he be able to do so when we are at some house that no one you haven't invited can find?" Harry huffed petulantly.

The Potion Master had to hold back a grin. While under normal circumstances such stubbornness would have infuriated him to no end, it was heartening to see a streak of defiance in a child like Harry. Up to now, the only time Harry hadn't behaved like a downtrodden, over-polite house-elf had been when the boy had acted like an enraged lion, fighting with all his might against anyone and anything - and he wasn't even sure whether Harry had done so out of his own free will or if the Horcrux had influenced him.

"I have told you that Ron can visit you, yes, but in order for him being able to do so, we need to settle down in the cottage first, so I would recommend-"

"Not Ron!" Harry interrupted the Professor. When the man just looked at him strangely, Harry elaborated. "Fawkes!"

Hedwig, who was sitting on his shoulder, screeched in agreement. Obviously, she wasn't happy with the prospect of not seeing her comrade either.

Severus mentally slapped himself. How could he have forgotten about the phoenix? "I don't think Fawkes will have any difficulties finding us, Harry. He managed to intrude into these highly warded rooms, after all. However, I will send Minerva and the headmaster a note first thing in the morning to let them know that you and Hedwig request regular visits from the phoenix. All right?"

Harry considered the man's offer. It was Hedwig's soft hoot that finally convinced him to accept the Professor's proposal. "OK, but you write them right away after breakfast!"

"I will," Severus promised. "Now, are you ready to leave?" he looked at Harry questioningly, offering the boy his hand. He was a bit worried whether this really was about Fawkes or more some sort of delaying tactic to avoid leaving the dungeons as long as possible.

Harry sighed. Looked as if the moment had finally arrived. His eyes fixed firmly on the ground, he went to the Professor, who was still standing next to the door.

Severus heart ached when he saw the forlorn look in the child's eyes before said child approached him with his head bent. Harry looked more as if he was going to his own execution rather than on holiday. No, he decided, he needed to do something.

"Harry?"

Harry's eyes snapped up. "Huh?"

"Would you mind if I carried you?"

The grin that spread over Harry's face was answer enough.

And so it was that a very odd threesome made its way through the dungeons, up the stairs into the entrance hall and finally across the grounds to the gate.

Next to Severus floated a charmed trunk that contained potions and potion-ingredients that couldn't be shrunken. The rest of their luggage was inside the pockets of his robes, charmed almost weightless.

In the Potion Master's arms, Harry (who had fallen asleep somewhere between the third flight of stairs and the last corner before the entrance hall) leaned comfortably against the man's chest, enjoying the warmth. On the boys shoulder, the snowy owl was on the lookout, alternately regarding the man who carried her master and the very master himself.

Then, with a soft pop, the trio was gone.