A week had passed without any larger confrontations as Harry had tried his best to avoid Aoife and his stepfather. That of course meant indirectly avoiding almost everyone else. He was becoming increasingly nervous as the arrival of his Hogwarts letter was drawing nearer. Harry was sitting in the gardens up his favorite tree with his history book on his lap. It was an old crooked tree with many thick branches. Phil had told him once what kind it was but he couldn't remember. Harry usually hid in the tree when Aoife was in a foul mood and just before breakfast she had been yelling at a teary Orla in the entrance hall. He had seen her picture in the gallery. The entire Prince line was there. Mr Browne had pointed it out to him. Of course she was much younger in the portrait. In Harry's opinion she was ugly then and she was ugly now. Her black hair had turned silver grey and her cheeks had become more sunken but she had clearly always had the look of a bird of prey. There was no picture of Harry's family, naturally, just as there was no picture of anyone named 'Snape' before Harry's parents. Then again, Harry hadn't looked closely in years as he didn't like going through the gallery on his own. The pictures would stare and point at him. They moved their lips but no sound came – often to their own frustration. Harry knew many portraits could talk and he wasn't sure who spelled these silent.

He had been debating for days what to do. The more he thought about Hogwarts, the more certain he was that he didn't want to go. But what was he going to do? Sadly, he was sure his mother wasn't likely to understand. She always spoke of her schooldays as one of the happiest times of her life. He couldn't see Snape agreeing to it either. Perhaps if he was really, really nice to his mother she wouldn't be able to let him go? But how was he going to manage that with Aoife watching her like a hawk? Just talking to Lily might well be related to Snape as banging pots and pans repeatedly in her bedroom.

”Harry...” said a familiar low voice somewhere beneath him. Harry snapped out of it and glanced down to see his cross-armed stepfather standing below the tree. Startled, Harry dropped the book, which fell through the air until Snape quickly caught it mid air. ”I'm glad to see you've brought some appropriate literature,” continued Snape. ”Although I would have preferred to see the book opened.”

Harry was very close to telling him he didn't give a rat's arse what he preferred but wisely kept that to himself. ”I was just thinking.”

”I see,” replied Snape, raising an eyebrow as though he doubted that statement. ”Tea is ready. You're late!”

”Oh, I forgot,” mumbled Harry as he jumped to the ground. He didn't have much time to regain his footing before he felt a push in his back as Snape steered him towards the house.

”You forgot? Do we not have tea every Saturday?” he sneered. ”Brush yourself off, boy! And don't let your mother see you jumping out of trees like an animal! Does she have to worry about you cracking your skull?”

Harry didn't reply but simply shuffled along.

”For the future would it be too much to ask that you be prompt so Aoife and I do not have to search the grounds for you? Or must I have Binn watch you again?”

Harry didn't reply to that at which Snape narrowed his eyes. Harry was too busy thinking about what he should do about the school. As they entered the salon, Snape placed the book on the table and took a seat next to Lily.

”Hello, Harry? Lost in your books?” she smiled at him as he sat down.

Harry knew Snape hadn't told Aoife to stop searching for Harry and likely wasn't going to since having her run around aimlessly was rather enjoyable to him. That only meant she was going to be in a particularly foul mood later on.

”Hi, mum! Sorry I'm late!”

Snape huffed slightly at that, but Lily didn't seem to notice.

”Have a muffin, dear. Oh, Sev, I was thinking I should go in the garden today.”

”It's too hot,” Snape commented partly into his teacup. ”You'll need a parasol and plenty of water. I'll have Lizette see if there is any ice.”

”It's fine. I'll manage. And you said you'd be in the garden today anyway.”

”I need to tend to the ingredients, yes,” he replied. ”There is a lot of work to do.”

”I'll help you then,” nodded Lily.

”You shouldn't exert yourself, Lily. I'll have Lizette take you around the roses.”

”Let Harry help you then! It would be good for you to spend some time together. You work so much and I'm sure Harry could need a break from his reading.”

Snape hesitated and was clearly trying to think of something to say. He glanced at Harry but Harry wasn't going to be the one to tell his mother no and be the one looking bad so he smiled as innocently as he could.

”If you think it's best,” Snape sighed to Lily's satisfaction.

Harry nibbled at his blueberry muffin. Should he try to appeal to his mother. Would be better to wait until Snape wasn't present? But perhaps he would object less if he managed to convince her here.

”Mum?” he said quietly. ”Did you like Hogwarts?”

Lily blinked and slowly put down her teacup. ”Why, yes! Of course I did.”

”We will see how long the castle stands with him attending,” mumbled Snape.

”Are you nervous, honey?” asked Lily as she reached for Harry's hand.

”Well...”

”It's alright, dear! It's perfectly normal! But you'll see, you'll get your letter soon and then we can go shopping for you. And once you get there I promise you'll love it!”

”How would you know,” muttered Harry. ”You won't see me all year!”

”Don't use that tone with your mother,” snapped Snape as he leveled Harry with a stern look.

”Oh, Harry! You'll be too busy with your friends to think about me,” smiled Lily. ”I bet I'll be lucky if I get a letter a month!” She chuckled lightly.

”You're not listening to me!” huffed Harry in desperation. Pleading with his mother clearly wasn't as easy as he had thought it would be.

”As much as I'm certain you'll find yourself plenty of trouble, and Merlin knows I have enough students to reign in as it is, lying about at home will hardly make you a productive adult. Besides I have no intention of paying for the required private lessons. However... I'm sure Durmstrang is still taking students...”

”Severus!” cried Lily. ”My son is going to Hogwarts and that's final!”

”But mum!”

”No, buts! You'll see you'll like it there! You'll learn all about magic and I'll still be here and you'll come see me in the holidays. Besides your father will be there to look after you and...”

”He's not my father!” hissed Harry as he jumped to his feet, balling his fists. ”You know that! And you know what? I bet my real dad would listen to me! I bet he'd let me stay! I bet he'd never send me away!”

Lily froze and Snape looked as though he couldn't decide whether to pounce on Harry or comfort his wife. Harry didn't notice. He just stared into his mother's big green eyes as tears flooded his own. Slowly she began to shake and in the next instance she let out a sob before burying her face in her hands. She made no further sound but her shaking shoulders betrayed her. Harry didn't know what to do with himself. Part of him wanted to apologize and hug her and another wanted to scream out his frustration.

”To your room,” hissed Snape as he protectively put an arm around Lily. ”Get out. Go.”

Harry glared intensely at the man before storming out of the room, slamming the door behind him. He'd broken one of the most important 'rules'. You never talked about James in front of Lily. It always upset her. As a result Harry didn't know much more about him than his name, that he was murdered and that his parents met at school – things he'd mostly gotten from Snape's rants. Harry often wondered if his mother missed him a lot or if she just didn't like Harry speaking about him. Harry bolted up the stairs, probably alarming the entire household as he did so. He was winded when he reached his own room, flung open the door and threw himself on the bed. He lay for several minutes on his stomach as he sobbed into his pillow. He felt absolutely terrible. Now, his mother was crying again and what if she became ill? It would all be Harry's fault. After a while he curled up against the wall. He was half expecting Snape to storm in at any moment and scream at him but the hours went by. Harry was all cried out. He wasn't sure what was expected of him. Should he stay put until he was called for or should he come down and apologize to everyone from his mother to Mr Browne's French bulldog? Not that he wanted to. He just wanted his mum to understand. But it was hard to point out that he never saw her without either accusing her of not seeing him or accusing others of keeping him from seeing her. In the next moment the door flew open but Harry didn't look up at whoever it was.

”Get up!” a sharp voice commanded. Harry didn't move. The last thing he wanted right now was seeing her face. ”Dinner is served, if it pleases your highness!” Aoife snapped. Harry turned and glared at the housekeeper. Binn expertly moved around her heavy black skirts before placing the tray he was carrying on Harry's desk. The boy remained on his bed. So he wasn't expected to come down.

”Doesn't the food please Master Harry?” snarled Binn with as much disgust as he always showed when forced to use that title.

”He'll be fine!”said Aoife. ”Now get a move on!” She kicked Binn the rest of the way out the door before smirking at Harry and slamming it shut. Harry could hear the old house elf muttering on his way down the stairs. He got up from his bed and looked at the tray which held only a bowl of soup. He stuck his finger in the soup and sucked it tryingly. He grimaced as the overwhelming taste of pepper surprised him. That was the danger of eating without Lily and Snape. Both Binn and Aoife hated the presence of the Snape family at the manor but the house elf dared not antagonize the master and mistress of the house in the same way Aoife did as his position was in no way secure there. When Harry was seven he had heard Aoife refer to his mother as a 'mudblood' and later that same day he had curiously asked his mother at dinner whether she had mud blood. His mother had had a blank stare on her face but Snape had gone absolutely crazy. He'd washed Harry's mouth out with soap and sent the very confused child to bed with a sore bottom – he'd even initially grounded Harry for a month. Of course Harry was outside playing again the next day as if nothing had happened due to his mother's intervention. He often wondered what Snape would do if he ever caught Aoife in the act but so far she'd been just careful enough and it hadn't happened. Harry didn't know if he was grounded now. He hoped not. It was the worst punishment because it meant he wouldn't see his mother at meals. It meant pretty much going back and forth between the school room and his bedroom.

He could hear his stomach growl but he wasn't so desperate he'd brave the soup. Well, maybe he should just go down to dinner and speak to his mother. It's not like they could stop him. Aoife hadn't locked the door on him. Harry took a deep breath. He didn't truly think what he'd said was that bad. In fact he rather believed his real father would understand. Considering the amount Snape sneered at his memory he had to have been amazing. Still, he didn't like how upset it made his mother and even more importantly he didn't like having Snape actually have a proper cause to be upset with him. Harry opened the door and peeked out. The stairs to the attic creaked so it was a good idea to listen for someone on the second floor before braving it. Harry slowly moved down the stairs, his sock clad feet making almost no sound. So, long as he didn't bump into Aoife on the way. The door to the dining room was closed and he didn't hear any murmurs of conversation from within. Harry placed his hand on the doorknob. He could probably still make it back upstairs without anyone noticing. Nah, there was no such thing as going back. He turned the doorknob and stepped inside.

Snape looked up at him and froze mid motion for a second before placing his utensils on his plate with a loud cling. Lily wasn't there.

”I was under the impression you would keep to your room.”

”Uhm... Where's mum?” he finally managed to get out.

Snape gave him a disapproving look. ”Why? You didn't think you upset her enough? Your mother is in her room – and you can stop right there,” he said as Harry immediately turned for the door. ”She needs rest now and I'm not about to risk her health by allowing you anywhere near her!”

”But I need to talk to her! I need to apologize!”

”Oh, you will! But not tonight!” replied Snape sternly as he rose from his seat. ”Now get out of my sight before I decide to teach you a lesson!”

Harry was just about to exit when he remembered something. ”Erh, sir? Could I go to the kitchen and get some food first?”

”I believe Aoife already brought you something,” sneered Snape impatiently. ”Out!” He pointed a long bony finger at the door.

”But, Snape...” Harry whined momentarily forgetting that the only thing Snape hated more than Harry calling him 'father' was being referred to by simply his last name since he considered it disrespectful. In a few long steps, Snape was towering over him and had grabbed him by the neck of his shirt and pulled him into the hallway.

”You're more trouble than you're worth! Clearly nothing we do is good enough for James' precious boy! To think I have to suffer seven years of you strutting about Hogwarts being an embarrassment to my family and household!”

Just as they came to the stairs Aoife was walking down it carrying the same tray she had left on Harry's desk.

”Oh, Master Harry!” she smiled with sickening sweetness. ”You should have told me you weren't hungry! Now the food is all cold.”

”I can't eat that,” Harry protested as he wiggled out of Snape's hold. ”She ruined it, Snape!”

Aoife put on a dramatic expression of mortification. His stepfather narrowed his eyes and gestured to the tray. ”And what, pray tell, is wrong with it?”

Harry stared at the tray, now finally noticing that the peppered soup was no longer there. Instead there was a plate of potatoes, beans and meatballs with a large amount of gravy accompanied by a tall glass of water.

”I'm waiting,” said Snape and crossed his arms.

”It's not the same. That's not what she gave me!” Harry objected.

”I do not have the patience for this! If you are too picky to eat what's on offer then you may refrain from doing so! I'm used to you wasting my money by now but don't you dare lie to my face again! I'll break that habit of yours if it's the last thing I do!” said Snape as he turned Harry to the side and landed a firm smack on his backside.

”But I...” yelped Harry, ignoring Aoife's smirk.

”Go to your room and stay there until you can behave yourself!”

Harry hissed. He'd be stuck there forever now! ”FINE!” he yelled and bolted up the stairs. He didn't miss the look on Snape's face nor fail to hear his voice.

”Harry! You come back here! This instance! NOW! Don't you dare speak to me in this manner!”

He didn't listen he knew staying anywhere near Snape now was a bad idea, besides he'd rarely seen the man run and doubted the man would actually try to catch him. He finally reached his room and slammed the door shut behind him. To hell with it all! To hell with Snape! To hell with Aoife! To hell with Hogwarts! Harry didn't own a key to his room so he couldn't lock the door. Instead he crawled under his bed – just in case and curled up! He couldn't explain why but it hurt tremendously to know Snape dreaded even acknowledging Harry in public. Minutes passed. Then he suddenly heard a familiar pop. He peaked out from under the bed and found two slices of bread on his desk. Harry cautiously got up.

”Orla? Is that you?” With a pop the small house elf with the floppy ears appeared, draped in the remains of an old emerald curtain.

”Shhh! Master Harry mustn't speak loud! People's might hear!” Her big round eyes were fearful. Orla was the daughter of Binn and so the lowest ranked person in the house hold. Harry was well aware of how much trouble she'd be in if Binn or Aoife discovered she was helping Harry. It wasn't much she could do but she tried her best whenever she dared take the chance.

”Thanks!” smiled Harry as he took a slice. ”Is he very mad?”

”Oh, Master Severus Sir is very angry,” nodded Orla. ”He has asked Madam Aoife to see that Master Harry doesn't come down or go disturb Mistress. We are's to fetch Master Severus if Master Harry does so.”

Harry nodded and swallowed a bite of bread. ”It's going to be hell going to Hogwarts with him there.”

Orla looked unsure. Harry knew she wouldn't dare speak ill about any of the adults. ”Master Harry must not get in trouble. Orla doesn't think Master Severus would like it if Master Harry got in trouble withs the school.”

Harry paused. He put the bread back and hugged the startled elf. ”Orla, you're a genius!”

”Master Harry is much to kind to Orla,” she replied with confusion and popped away.

Harry ate the rest of the bread on his bed. Why hadn't he thought of it before? He didn't need to plead with the adults – it would never work and nor would being good. No, he needed to be his absolute worst! That way Snape wouldn't dare send him out in public to embarrass him! And even if he did all Harry needed to do was get himself expelled from school and he'd be right back home with his mother! Harry fell back onto the bed with a smile on his face. He'd start on his plan tomorrow. Snape thought he was terrible anyway, what difference would it truly make if he was as bad as Aoife aimed to make him seem?