"Do you feel better then?", Hermione asked Harry gently while they went down to breakfast

"Oh yeah, loads.", Harry smiled at her "Madam Pomfrey gave me Pepper-up, so really, I was fine in a few minutes. But you know her, she's not satisfied until I've spent the night."

Hermione and Ron laughed at that "Careful, mate. She might have a thing for you."

Ron winked and Harry blanched "Don't say that!"

The three of them entered the Great Hall still laughing about their little jokes. They sat down at the Gryffindor table and filled their plates.

"Sure you don't want any more, Harry?", Hermione asked gently, he shook his head no

"Taking it easy after spending half my weekend at Pomfrey's.", he joked, but Ron and Hermione cast each other furtive looks.

"You never eat much.", Ron said tentatively

"Well, not everyone can inhale as much food as you do.", Harry responded, still not catching up on the looks his friends were exchanging

"You barely eat as much as I do, Harry.", Hermione said quietly, Harry put his knife and fork down and looked between the two of them

"Whats wrong? My diet never interested you that much before."

"Well you know, after the summer...!", Ron said, going red "My mom said to look after you. She says you don't eat enough..."

"And I agree!", Hermione said heatedly

"Yeah", Ron continued, taking up steam "You're far too thin and no offense mate, but you're the smallest kid in our year."

Harry drew his brows together, the comment about his height rubbing him the wrong way "Well, maybe my parents weren't too tall."

"Harry, that's not the point.", Hermione snapped "You don't eat enough and Ron said your relatives fed you one can of soup a day. That's outrageous! If my parents heard, they would call family services in a heart beat."

"Then don't tell them.", Harry snapped, then whispered urgently "Listen. I asked Dumbledore, I asked if I could stay here in the summer and he refused. I told him my relatives didn't like me, didn't like magic at all. He never even reacted. I have to stay at the Dursley, that's what he says. So don't go on creating trouble where there is none." Hermione made every attempt to interrupt him, but Harry spoke over her "Its okay guys. I only have to stay there three months a year. I can take it. I've been living with them for eleven years already. Its gotten better actually. There is no reason to intervene. While I'm at Hogwarts I'll fatten up a bit. And you guys can send me food packages in the summer, if you can."

"Of course, mate!", Ron reassured and looked at Hermione

"There's no question about that, Harry.", she said "But you need someone to really take care of you. And I don't mean just to feed you and clothe you and give you a roof over your head. Not that the Dursley do that but I mean a real parent. You know, someone who cares for you, who loves you and..."

Harry suddenly stood up, his whole demeanor turning icy "Well, I had them. They're dead. Been dead for a while actually. I learned to do without. Don't make me wish for something I'll never have, Hermione. Its cruel."

He shouldered his bag, left his breakfast almost untouched and headed for the doors.

"Harry!", Hermione yelled after him and rose from her seat to follow him. Ron, who had seen his best friends eyes glistening suspiciously before he left, held her back

"Give him some time.", he murmured to protect Harrys dignity "If you want to do him good, pack him up a sandwich."

Hermione looked sadly at Harrys half full plate and assembled a sandwich for him. They both ate quickly and followed the other students outside heading for the dungeons and potions.

Harry had left his friends at the table and entered the dungeons. He walked down the stone steps to the potions classroom and stood outside waiting. His thoughts returned to what Hermione had said. Of course he wished he had someone like that in his life. But didn't they understand? He couldn't change anything. His parents had died and now there was no one willing to take care of him. He had been dumped on the Dursleys doorstep like an unwanted pet and they had treated him exactly like that. He sighed and angrily rubbed at his eyes. Life wasn't fair, he knew. But there was no reason to remind him of what he had lost and had no hope of ever regaining, was there? As if he could do anything to change his situation!

Suddenly someone cleared their throat and Harry almost jumped out of his skin. He looked up, straight into the potions masters eyes. Harry gulped, painfully aware of the fact that his eyes must still be red. Oh no, Snape would surely make a scathing remark and then relate the whole episode to everyone once they entered the classroom. He would die of humiliation.

But Snape only stared at him, then turned and entered the classroom. He left the door ajar and Harry followed him in. He settled into his space and took out his potions book. Snape studied him, then said

"Turn to page 19 and read the recipe. We'll brew that today."

Harry looked up surprised. Snape was giving him a heads up? But Snape was already immersed in his own notes, ignoring Harry. Not believing his luck, Harry read the recipe carefully and then assembled the needed ingredients. He was already measuring and placing them in the right order when his friends and classmates arrived. Before they could do anything but give him an incredulous look, Snape started the lecture.

Snapes lesson didn't differ from his usual teaching method in all but one thing. He did not harass Harry. As Snape had not failed to do that in even of of their lessons since the start of term, everybody noticed and sent him questioning looks. Harry shrugged at his friends, not knowing if he could test his luck by actually talking out of turn. Snape kept ignoring Harry and as a result of this, Harry produced a good potion. In fact only Malfoy and Hermione surpassed him and Hermione smiled broadly at him.

"I knew you could do a lot better" she whispered and he gave her a tentative smile.

They packed as fast as every other Gryffindor but just as they stood on the doorstep, Snape called

"Mr. Potter. A word, if you please."

Harry exchanged a nervous look with this friends and trudged back to Snape. He stood in front of his desk until the whole class had filed out.

"Mr. Weasley, Miss Granger, go ahead, your classmate will join you in the next class.", with these words he flicked his wand and the door closed in their faces "So, Mr. Potter."

"Yes, sir?"

Snape took his vial out of the others and held it up to light "This actually looks a lot better than the mud you usually create."

"Thanks, sir.", Harry said, already relaxing into his usual demeanor around Snape. Good, now Snape would go back to being a mean old bat and they could continue hating each other in peace

"So if I leave you unattended, you deliver better results.", Snape said, he actually seemed lost in thought "I want to check a theory with you, Potter."

"Sir?"

"Come to my office at 7 this evening.", he said, finally tearing his gaze from the vial and looking at Harry. Harrys eyebrows shot up

"A detention, sir?"

"No", Snape said slowly "More of an experiment."

"Experiment? Of what?"

Snape leaned over and whispered "You'll see. Now leave, before you're late for your next class."

Glancing at the clock, Harry jumped up. He'd be hard pressed to make it in time to the green houses. Swinging his bag over his shoulder he jogged to the door.

"Mr. Potter.", Harry looked back impatiently "What was the problem earlier?"

Harry jumped from one foot to the other and said "Nothing, sir."

"Your were crying."

"I was not!", Harry snapped embarrassed, then tried to amend his tone by adding "Sir."

Snape raised his eyebrow and said "Yes, your were. Don't even try to deny it. You argued with your little friends, then stormed out and had a good cry before arriving at my classroom."

Harry could feel his cheeks burning and settled for repeating "Nothing, sir."

Snape stared at him, then said "Very well, go."

Harry didn't wait another second before dashing out. Snape kept staring at the spot where he had stood, listening to his thundering footsteps fading away.

Snape was pacing McGonagalls office while she graded essays.

"Not that I mind, but you'll wear out my carpet, Severus. Do tell what's on your mind.", she finally said lazily

"I was nice to Potter today.", he finally said in a deadly tone, as if he was recounting a dirty secret. Minerva looked out the window and turned back to him

"I'm sorry, but I can't see any flying pigs."

Snape scowled at her "He came to my classroom alone and he had evidently been crying. So I told him what potion we were brewing, so he could start preparing before the rest. And during class... I refrained from putting him in his place."

Minerva looked up at him, stared for a minute and then shrugged "So, someone evidently ripped out the stone from your chest and replaced it with a heart, while you were sleeping."

"Very funny, Minerva!", Snape snapped, failing to see the humor that made Minerva crack a smile at the parchments before her "Why would I care? I never cared! There is no reason to pamper the little prince even more than he evidently already is."

"I must, as always, disagree. He is not pampered, anyone who is not completely blinded by prejudice can see that.", Minerva had lost her teasing tone and looked sharply at her colleague "As we have all repeatedly told you, he is a very polite and unassuming young man. Never takes anything for granted and always tries to please everyone. Except you, of course. But I guess he can recognize a lost cause when he sees one."

Snape glowered at her, than sighed "I told him to come to my office today."

"Not a detention already, Severus!", she admonished "You couldn't just leave the child alone and do some good once. You had to..."

"Listen, woman!", he interrupted rudely "Its not a detention. I asked him to come. Ask, as in, I requested his presence."

Minerva started and looked at him suspiciously "Why would you do that?"

He exasperatedly threw up his arms in the air "That's what I'm trying to find out. Have I gone mad, Minerva? I saw his potion after today's lesson and it was adequate. And so I decided – in my unearthly wisdom – to invite him to my office and test how well he does away from the classroom."

"Adequate.", Minerva repeated "But you always said he's barely better than Longbottom."

"I may have helped that impression along a bit.", he conceded and Minerva presses her lips together in annoyance

"So what?", she finally said "You're correcting a mistake, I find that heartening. If you can overlook your past grudges and actually see the child for who he is and not whose child he is..."

"Yes, yes, anything is possible now.", he murmured, more annoyed with himself than her "Something's going on, Minerva, I know it! Something's not right."

"What gives you that impression?", she asked

"When I look at him...", he started and gulped "I feel... something... like protectiveness."

Minerva sighed relieved "Well that's easy to understand. He has Lilys eyes and you are here to protect him..."

"But I never felt this way. It wasn't like this before, not even at the start of term. Why would it suddenly change?"

"Maybe he's growing on you?", Minerva suggested and earned a glare for it "Severus, listen. Don't over analyze things. Slytherins see everything in profit and loss. So, how did you profit from hating him and what would you loose if you treat him fairly?"

Snape looked unconvinced "My standing with the Death Eater children..."

"You have gone from the big bad bully to the teacher who ignores him. That's not too bad. You could sow the rumor that Dumbledore had a stern talk with you."

Snape looked out into the grounds.

"Severus, relax and let it just unravel itself. It'll be alright. A twelve year old came to your class crying and you didn't make him feel any worse. Its not the end of the world. Now, have a cup of tea with me."

Snape shook his head "I need to get down. Potter'll be there soon."

Minerva nodded and gave him a smile "You're doing the right thing, Severus. Whatever the reason."

Snape let his mask down for a minute and let her see how unsettling this development was for him. She gave him an encouraging smile and he nodded before he left her office.

"Professor.", Potter greeted him when he arrived at his office

"Potter. Come in.", there it was again. He had wanted to say something scathing, but it had stuck in his throat when he glanced at those green eyes. Maybe it was Lilys memory finally catching up with him. Maybe it was the way those green eyes had glistened just like Lilys had, when he had called her a mudblood. He inwardly shuddered at the memory and led Potter through his office into his private lab.

"Set out a pewter cauldron and take out the following ingredients...", Snape proceeded to name a list of ingredients which Harry hastily brought to his table. Snapes gaze fell on them, he assessed them quickly and nodded.

He gave short instruction as to how to brew the potion and Harry crushed, measured and stirred in high speed. When the Swelling Solution was complete, he wiped his forehead.

Snape looked down his hooked nose into his cauldron and made a little humming sound.

"Not half bad, Potter. Not half bad."

Harry blinked at the sudden praise and stared at Snape. Snape looked back at him.

"We'll continue the little experiment tomorrow."

"Err.", Harry said, then formed word for his jumbled thoughts "What exactly are you trying to find out, sir?"

"We", the teacher corrected him "are trying to find out if you could be a decent brewer or if you are only a dunderhead as everybody else."

"But sir, I thought...", he didn't finish the thought

"You thought I had already decided that you were in fact one of the greatest dunderheads to walk these halls.", Snape completed for him, Harry shrugged and gave a short affirmative "Well, I've changed my mind after seeing your Wiggenweld Potion today, Potter. We could mold you into the best brewer in your year, in fact."

Potters eyes seemed so round and bulging, Snape feared they might pop out any second. He rolled his own.

"But sir. Surely, Hermione and Malfoy..."

"Miss Granger is book smart.", he said derisively "She has no creativity. Mr. Malfoy can hold his own against most his schoolmates, but makes a few mistakes during the process. He is careless. A real potioneer needs to focus. He needs to be attentive and concentrate. He needs to feel his potion and know instinctively what to do to perfect it. Mr. Malfoy sadly lacks these attributes."

"And I have them?", Harry asked disbelievingly

"I do not yet know.", Snape conceded "You have not tried your best yet. I admit that was connected with my own failure to assess your talents correctly. But I believe you have the instinct. You only lack the confidence."

"How do you know, Professor?", Harry asked, sincerely interested

"When you see that something is going wrong, your eyes dart to the right ingredient to correct the mistake. But you don't use it. You hands twitch when you need to add just a little turn, to take your potion up to perfection. But you don't proceed. I have to say, it is exceedingly frustrating to watch."

Harry frowned at Snape, trying to remember doing what he had just described.

"Still, it could be luck or chance. We need to be sure before we go on."

"Go on, sir?", Harry asked, afraid of the answer

"If you are in fact as talented as I suspect, I want you as my apprentice one day. I will tutor you in Potions."

Harrys mouth dropped open. He felt like the mountain troll from first year had just clubbed him. Hard.

"Sir?", he asked a bit shrilly. The Potions Master looked annoyed

"Yes, yes, Potter. It is all very shocking, I know.", he snapped at the boy "Now could you refrain from rubbing my mistakes in and just come back tomorrow at the same time? You will need to complete the potion. Then we'll see."

Harry looked down into his cauldron feeling dizzy.

"Err.", he started "Do I get a say in this?"

"No", Snape said, raising an eyebrow and daring him to protest.