Harry evaded McGonagall's detection that night. At least that was what he assumed since she did not reprimand him for going and Snape appeared at breakfast in one piece. The days passed and Harry began to find himself angry. Snape did not speak a word to him. On the plus side McGonagall seemed to have backed off the tiniest bit but Harry knew she had not forgotten when Harry arrived to transfiguration without his one foot essay – having begun to neglect his homework and McGonagall simply looked at him sternly and said she wanted it on her desk the following day. Hermione was shocked of course! It was almost funny to see the girl so torn between wishing McGonagall had taken points for the sake of fairness and being glad that Gryffindor did not lose points.

He had all but given up hope. The world seemed hectic and colourful. There was just the thing that Harry wasn't in it. He was standing outside and looking in. He was wandering the halls in his own bubble – cut off from everyone, even his friends. Harry felt like an imposter. Like he shouldn't even be there. He didn't belong here. He didn't belong with all those smiling, fresh faces that skipped down the corridors. They didn't have a care in the world but Harry did. His life was falling apart before it had even properly begun and Harry knew he had only one function now and that was to protect Lily. Harry seemed to have found a new rhythm in life. During the day he sat there mute in class. In the afternoon and evening he either did his homework with Hermione or walked. Occasionally he would play a game with the boys. In the night he lay awake sometimes for hours and when he finally fell asleep his dreams were disturbed by nightmares he could never remember.

One night in late October he was lying in his bed. He had been chased momentarily by Peeves earlier that evening and now had a sore knee as he had stumbled on the staircase. There was a scrape and a forming bruise and despite the fact he knew Pomfrey could easily fix it he wouldn't go to her because he couldn't be sure if she'd even believe the truth – that he actually fell this time! Harry kept tossing and turning. Despite the cool air of the dormitory his bed warm and Harry was sweating. Annoyed that he couldn't seem to get comfortable he pulled his pillow from under his head, tossed it to the foot of the bed and sat up. It wasn't even that late to be honest. Around eleven o'clock? There were still students in the common room. Only Ron and Seamus were actually in their beds. Harry decided he would demand an explanation from Snape. He had probably better wait until tomorrow though. But that wouldn't do, Harry then thought, because Snape would either ignore him or send him away during the day time and what about the Slytherins? They would see him there! Harry rose from his bed and put on his socks and a jumper over his pyjamas before he went downstairs.

”Harry, where do you think you're going?” Percy's voice stopped him in his tracks just as he was about to open the common room door. Harry had actually assumed people would be too distracted by each other to notice him.

”Erm.. Hospital wing,” Harry replied. Percy nodded thoughtfully and Neville looked up from his book.

”Then I shall escort you,” promised the prefect but just as he did there was a loud bang when something – most likely belonging to a certain pair of twins exploded upstairs. ”Wait here, Harry. George! Fred! What do you think you're doing?” cried Percy as he marched up the stairs. Harry took the opportunity to slip outside. The corridor was dark and quiet. The portrait effectively shut out the noise from the common room. ”Going out at this hour?” questioned the lady in the portrait but Harry did not pay her any attention. He continued towards the stairs and begun his descend. It was around the third floor that a noise startled him and Harry froze to the spot. His grip on the bannister was tight as he listened in the darkness. A terrible thought hit him: What if that man was still here? Harry held his breath and strained his ears. Nothing. Only the sound of an occasional staircase moving at random. Otherwise it was dark and quiet. Harry breathed a sigh of relief and stepped down onto the next step.

”Harry?” It was almost a whisper but it was loud enough to reach Harry's ears and cause him to shriek. His head snapped up in the direction the voice had come from. There on the floor above him, he saw a figure. It was an adult for sure! Harry didn't need to think it over. He was sure it was the same man he had seen before even though the darkness almost concealed him now. ”Harry is that you?”

The boy didn't reply. He was dead! He was so dead! Harry ran, not caring how loud his footsteps might be. He had to reach the dungeons before the man caught him! He didn't have time to look whether he was following him. The man's presence had blocked the path back to the tower.

”Wait!” he heard the man call somewhere above him but Harry continued to run despite almost falling down the stairs several times. So many questions ran through his mind. Who was that man? Why was he back? Had he even left? Why did he know his name? Harry didn't really consider that even if his descend wasn't loud in itself it was certainly not stealthy either and since it was not yet midnight he might easily met a professor along the way or even worse, Filch. The air became colder and the stone floors less polished. He reached the now familiar office door and this time knocked upon it with no reservation. Please, please open! But this time his fright of being found outside the door was quite different. The man could catch up to him any minute now. Harry kept knocking hard on the door but nothing happened and his panic did not lessen. Memories of another time he was alone in a corridor with an unhinged adult came to mind and yet the door did not open. It was a miracle that his heart did not stop beating for in the next moment Harry felt a hand on his shoulder and he sucked in his breath.

”Stop that at once! Do you mean to wake up the entire school? What on earth are you doing here - again?” Harry closed eyes and almost whimpered in relief. It was no murderous stranger. It was his stepfather. Whether that was much of an improvement was another matter. A moment later he was sitting in the chair in Snape's office trying to process it all. He briefly thought about mentioning the man but stopped himself in time. Snape would not believe him anyway. The man himself was pacing behind him.

”You cannot keep doing this! Are you out of your mind?” Snape said.

”You wouldn't talk to me!” Harry countered.

”We are treading on very thin ice,” warned Snape as he stopped pacing. ”Without proof there is very little I can do and even you should be able to comprehend that much.”

Harry huffed in reply to that. He might as well just go ask Hermione for help she seemed to be more capable than any of the adults around here. ”Why?” said Harry mostly because he was only half listening.

”It is by now rather well know that our... relationship is not particularly... warm,” Snape commented. Harry looked up at him in annoyance and had to bite his tongue so he wouldn't inform Snape that that was all Snape's fault. It hurt to think about it and so Harry rarely did but he used to try. When he was younger he had actually wanted Snape to be his father and he had tried, he had really tried, to please the man but all he had been met with was icy indifference.

”Well, maybe if you were nicer to me they wouldn't believe you did it,” said Harry.

”And maybe if you shoved me some respect...” began Snape but he didn't get to finish because Harry interrupted him.

”Well, I would if you deserved it!” he cried and Snape closed his eyes tightly for a moment, clearly restraining himself from either saying or doing something. He didn't have long to consider what that might be because suddenly the fireplace flared a familiar bright green and two figures stepped out into the room. The Headmaster's eyes twinkled as much as his gold and yellow robe and McGonagall's eyes were steely.

”So...” she said harshly as she glared at Snape. ”Harry come over here, won't you?” she continued in a much softer voice.

”Come now, Minerva,” said Dumbledore in a rather pensive tone of voice. ”There's no reason for raised voices, I'm sure. So far it is only a matter of a student out after curfew.”

”I had thought I had made things very clear to you, Severus. Evidently I was mistaken,” continued the Head of Gryffindor.

”I just came to visit him,” Harry suddenly said. ”I know I shouldn't be out after ten but I just really wanted to hear how my mother is doing. I'm sorry.” McGonagall's expression changed to confusion. Snape remained expressionless but Harry could tell he knew Harry was lying and unsure of how to respond to it. The Headmaster was oddly unreadable. He looked almost bemused.

”Yes... Well... Harry that is hardly the issue,” continued McGonagall after a moments pause. ”We wish to keep you safe, Harry. Surely you could write to her? What would possess you to come down here? Did he ask you to come?”

”I most certainly did not!” Snape interjected.

”Harry, come over here and we'll floo you back to your common room. We have some things to discuss with professor Snape,” said McGonagall almost as if she was speaking to a five year old.

Harry's eyes darted from the newcomers to Snape and back again. He wasn't so dumb he didn't know what that was about and judging by the look on Snape's face he had expected this to happen sooner or later. Harry had only made it worse by being here, he realised. It was true what Snape had said. Everyone could see how they felt about each other, hell, that was the only reason his housemates trusted him! Who would really believe Harry would risk detention to come visit with Snape of his own free will? So Harry moved but much to the surprise of the adults he went to Snape and turned to face the other professors. ”It's not his fault. I came here. I wanted to see him,” Harry objected.

”Harry, you don't have to say that,” began McGonagall.

”Minerva, please,” said Dumbledore. ”Surely we can discuss this calmly. Perhaps we would be more comfortable if...”

”He didn't do it! So leave us alone!” cried Harry at the sight of the indignation on McGonagall's face. ”I...” he began but he was surprised to feel a hand on his shoulder. It was just resting there in an oddly comforting way.

”Calm down, Harry,” said Snape slowly in a strange gentle way that Harry thought was so unlike him. ”They mean well. They just want to know what happened to you. We all do.” Well, now Harry was completely sure. Snape was acting and he was doing a surprisingly good job of it.

”Severus?” said McGonagall, obviously suspicious of that unexpected delivery.

”What, Minerva? Am I not allowed to care when my son is hurt? I already told you several times! I know as little as you do and am just as eager to discover the truth!” snapped Snape.

Harry couldn't help but notice that the word 'son' didn't come easily to Snape though he doubted few but him would be able to tell it was forced out.

”We may not appear to live up to Hufflepuff standards of togetherness but I just so happen to take a very dim view of favouritism and nepotism,” Snape continued and Harry had to stop himself from snorting at the notion that Snape didn't favour some students over others.

”Well, then I would suggest you urge Harry tell us or permit us to use occlumency,” snapped McGonagall. The situation was clearly making her very unease.

”Minerva, if the boy will not submit to it, it would be a very unethical thing to force upon him,” mused Dumbledore as though this was a slight annoyance but nothing to be worried about.

”But surely with a parent's permission...” began McGonagall.

”Whether I would condone it is immaterial as I do not have guardianship of any kind over Harry,” said Snape. ”You will find my wife has full custody and if you intend to floo over there and explain to her why it is you wish to search her son's memories then I suppose there is not much I can do to stop you - but I will say that should it compromise her health in any way I will not rest until you are held responsible!”

”Might I suggest... We at the very least rule Severus out? He may submit to questioning of his own free will,” said Dumbledore calmly.

”Albus! You said yourself he is fairly skilled at...” began McGonagall.

”If it would ease your mind we might employ Veritaserum,” the Headmaster supplied. ”Severus would that be acceptable to you?”

Snape looked stoic but a small twitch of his lips momentarily made him look like he had swallowed something sour. ”It will,” he said slowly.

”When will we do this?” questioned McGonagall.

”She will not be present!” said Snape and pointed a bony finger at the witch, his other hand still placed uncomfortably on the shoulder of the boy whose presence they seemed to have all forgotten.

”What's that? What does that mean?” asked Harry and thus drew attention to himself. The adult were quiet for a moment.

”Harry, I believe you should return to you bed,” said Snape and gently pushed him towards McGonagall.

”Come Harry,” called McGonagall. ”You're not in trouble this time but don't do this again, do you hear?” Harry just looked around at them with annoyance. Figures! As soon as someone is actually about to do something he would be kept in the dark! Professor McGonagall guided him to the fireplace before she threw in a handful of powder and said 'Gryffindor common room'. She then nudged Harry into the flames and the last he saw as he whirled upwards was a rare glimpse of nervousness in his stepfather's eyes.

The following day Snape was not present at meals. Harry was getting rather nervous since both the Headmaster and McGonagall was there and there was no indication of what they had been up to the following night. Older students were whispering about something but before Harry could eavesdrop on them Percy Weasley came over to him and sternly told Harry not to do that again and that he was sorry he had to call professor McGonagall but the rules were the rules! "Where do you think Snape is?” Harry asked Ron as soon as his mate's older brother had returned to his seat.

”Dunno,” Ron mumbled with his mouth full of scrambled eggs. ”Aren't bats nocturnal?” Harry knew Ron was still upset about the 'T' he'd gotten on their last potions assignment but oddly enough he couldn't help but feel slightly annoyed by Ron's comment. Why was he so worried about Snape anyway? What was it to him if Snape fell down a well and died? Well, it wasn't inconsequential – even if Harry wanted it to be. The following day there was still no sign of the Head of Slytherin. Harry was getting more and more unnerved as the rest of the students chatted happily about the upcoming Halloween feast. Harry and his friends made their way to potions. At this point they allowed him to trail behind in silence because they knew there was no getting Harry involved in the conversation unless he himself initiated it.

The classroom was curiously empty as the first year students filed into it. Apart from the very first lesson, Snape had always been sitting ominously behind his desk and observed the students as they arrived, making sure to note who was late. But today there was no one here and the class began whispering and later chatting with each other. Snape was never late to his own classes. Ten minutes had passed and still he was not there. Some of the Gryffindors looked uneasy but the Slytherins seemed rather calm. Perhaps they knew something. Then the door opened and Harry could tell simply from the quietness of it that it was not professor Snape entering. And he was right. Harry turned around to look at the newcomer and locked eyes with a shabby looking man with light brown hair and scars upon his face!

”Good morning, class!” he greeted them cheerfully. ”I'm sure you are all wondering where your Potions Master is at the present! I'm afraid he has been taken ill and will not be returning to his duties just yet! In the meantime I have been taking over his classes and I am very happy to meet you all! Now while I am here you may refer to me as Professor Lupin,” he said as he walked to the blackboard and wrote his name there. Harry felt like he was frozen to his seat. ”Now, I do not claim to be as brilliant as your professor is but I'm sure we will get through this together!” Lupin continued. ”Now! I've been informed you are studying properties of Snarking Skunkpine Root, am I correct in assuming that? How far did you get?” he asked the class.

Hermione's hand immediately flew up as the Slytherin students looked on with a horrified expression. When the smiling man nodded to her she exclaimed: ”We went over its powdered usages, professor!”

”Excellent!” said professor Lupin. He reached for a piece of parchment in his pocket. ”Ah... Miss.. Granger, I believe? Very well! We shall be going over the usages of Skunkpine Root juice today but as it is not a very useful subject at this stage and rather complex I say we finish up by having some fun at the end. How many of you have heard of Shrinking Poodletops?” he inquired and Harry wanted to sink into the floor. What was this man doing here? Who on earth was he? And why would someone the Headmaster clearly would allow to teach be creeping around the school at night? Not to mention Harry was pretty sure this was the man who had called his name from the darkness.

Hermione's hand immediate flew in the air. ”Professor! Shrinking Poodletop is type of mushroom native to southern England that is know for its shrinking abilities.” Now, Snape would have sneered at Hermione and called her a know-it-all before chastising her for not waiting until she was picked to speak but professor Lupin didn't seem bothered by her at all. He smiled at her and nodded. ”That's correct, Miss Granger! 5 points to Gryffindor!” Malfoy gasped in mortification and honestly Harry was every bit as ill at ease as the Slytherin. ”Good! Who would like to start by telling me the correct way to store Skunkpine Root juice?” asked the strange man as he nonchalantly opened a potions book – clearly because he didn't know the answers by heart himself. Harry just stared at him. He would have to go and see Snape and find out what was going on!

”Mr Potter, do you have an answer for us?” asked the man gently and Harry realised he had been caught staring and probably mistaken for a student who was too shy to raise their hand. ”Erh...” said Harry as Pansy Parkinson sniggered in the back. Hermione was nearly standing on her chair with her arm raised. ”Wait,” the man gently told her and there was no longer any doubt in Harry's mind. This was the mysterious man in the dark.