Harry sat on the stone wall down the path from Snape's front door out to the sea. It had been three days since he’d arrived in Dover. His mind was still reeling with everything that had happened. 

His whole family was dead.

He shuddered and cradled himself in his arms. 

He knew that there were dark wizards. He'd met Voldemort twice now. He knew exactly what the man was like. He just never realized that there were others just as vile. 

Dudley hadn’t been much older than him after all. 

Harry sobbed and a few tears dribbled down his cheeks. Then he angrily scrubbed them away. He was acting like such a baby! But no matter how he tried, the tears wouldn't stop coming now that they'd started. 

“Harry?” came the sound of Emmeline's voice from the door. He turned to her and tried to keep a straight face. But the tears gave him away. “Oh Harry dear!” she rushed forward and pulled him into a tight hug. Harry sobbed as she pulled her green shawl around him. He held tight as she rubbed his back and whispered small comforts into his hair. After a minute he did feel a bit better. He sniffed and rubbed his face again. “Better?” she asked. Harry didn't trust his voice so he just nodded. “Well come inside. Someone just arrived. I think you're going to be pretty happy about it.” Harry blinked and hopped off the stone wall to follow her. As they marched in, Snape levelled Harry with a warning look.

“Consider this an extension of rule number 3, Potter,” he said warningly.

“What?” Harry asked in confusion. Then there was a familiar screech. “Hedwig!” Harry raced over to the dining room, where the owl was perched on the head chair. She gave another screech and flapped her wings as Harry raced over to pet her. She nibbled his fingers comfortingly before hopping onto his shoulder and preening his hair. “I sent her to Ron's when we left for Bristol…” Harry murmured. 

“Post owls are incredibly intelligent creatures,” Severus explained. “They are always able to find their masters.” his eyes narrowed thoughtfully. “However, I must insist, Potter, that you not use her if you intend to send post to your friends.”

“What?! Why can’t I write to my friends?!” Harry demanded furiously. Snape growled.

“Did you not hear what I said, Potter? I said ‘if you intend to write’. Where in there did I forbid you to speak with your friends?” he demanded in irritation.

“So... I can write them?” Harry asked in confusion.

“Yes!” Snape cried with a huff. “My only request is that you use my owl, Orville, instead.”

“Why?”

“Because your owl is a Snowy, Potter,” Snape said with a huff. “Tell me, are snowy owls native to southern England?”

“Er… no I guess not.” Harry assented with a blush.

“Contrary to what most wizards would think, muggles are not stupid. They might notice a snowy owl flying around in the middle of June. Especially during the day. Orville, However, is a Tawny and therefore much less noticeable. He lives in the willow tree outside. I would prefer you keep Hedwig indoors-” when Harry opened his mouth to retort Snape cut him off “Not necessarily in her cage, Potter!” he snapped before the boy could object. “Just not somewhere she might be seen.”

“Alright,” Harry said quietly. Hedwig had stopped preening and was now watching Snape with narrowed eyes. The man glared back at the bird before he huffed and waved Harry away. The preteen didn't need any more dismissal than that and rushed away.  Emmeline, who had been watching them from the archway with a smile, watched him go before giving Severus a look.

“It was very kind of you to let him write to his friends.”

“Contrary to what you might think, Emmeline, I am not an emotionless monster.” Severus drawled quietly. Emmeline snorted.

“Not anymore at least,” she said bitterly. The man turned to shout at her, but she was already retreating upstairs after Potter. He snarled in frustration and marched towards the pantry. 

“Hey, Harry,” Emmeline said as she tapped on the spare room door. 

“Hey,” Harry said as he hurriedly scrawled across a parchment. “I'm just writing a letter to Ron and Hermione.” he paused. “Am I allowed to tell them where I am?” Emmeline frowned. Then she huffed. 

“You'd have to ask Severus,” she said plainly, though it sounded like she wasn't recommending it.

“I'll just tell them I'm safe.” Harry reasoned sheepishly as he continued scrawling across the page.

“How's your potions essay coming along?” Emmeline asked as she walked up to his small desk with a smile. Harry let out a gust of breath.

“It's a really difficult topic,” he complained. “I think Snape assigned the hard ones on purpose.”

“To be fair to Severus, he does teach one of the most dangerous subjects.” Emmeline reasoned. “He has to make sure you all know what you're doing so that no one gets hurt.” Harry blinked. He'd never really thought about that before. No one in his class had been purposely damaged yet, though there was that time with the firework. And all those times Malfoy had chucked something in his potions to ruin it… although come to think of it, those additional ingredients had never caused anything more than the potion turning into sludge. Evidently, Draco knew more about potions than he thought. 

“Maybe Snape has a book I can use as another reference.” Harry reasoned. “I don't have the new textbook yet…”

“I'm officially vetoing any more homework for today.” Emmeline declared. Harry blinked at her. “You need a change of air. Let's walk down to the beach. A short hike to stretch out legs will be just the thing to help.” she insisted. Harry smiled and grabbed his coat. Emmeline led the way down the stairs. 

“Er… shouldn't we tell Snape?” he offered worriedly. Emmeline rolled her eyes. 

“Severus is in a mood today. I'd rather not spend any more time with him than I have to.” she insisted. She pulled open the door and Harry followed her. 

Harry lifted his camera and snapped a few more photos of the cliffs. The angle wasn't stellar, but it was still awe-inspiring. 

“How's the old song go again?” Harry asked jokingly. Emmeline smiled and took a deep breath.

“There'll be bluebirds over

The white cliffs of Dover

Tomorrow

Just you wait and see”

Harry gaped at her.

“Ms. Vance! That was amazing!”

“Thank you, dear,” Emmeline said with a smile. “My mother and I used to sing that together when I was younger.” Harry smiled brightly. They walked along the rocky shore in silence for a while, just listening to the waves.

“Ms. Vance…” Harry began quietly.

“Harry, how many times must I tell you to call me Emmeline?” the woman cried with a chuckle. 

“Ms. Emmeline.” Harry amended, which made her snort. “Can I ask a question?”

“Of course Harry dear,” Emmeline assured him. “What is it you’d like to know?”

“How exactly do you know Snape?” Harry asked. Emmeline stopped and gave Harry a thoughtful look.

“We used to be together.” Emmeline finally admitted after a beat of silence. Harry stumbled on the sand.

“Snape?! Dated?! You?!” Harry cried in shock. Emmeline laughed loudly.

“What part of that was the most shocking?” she asked merrily. “The part where Severus dated, or the part where I was the one who dated him?”

“Both! All of it!” Harry cried in shock.

“Your teachers are humans too, Harry.” Emmeline reminded him with a mirthful smile.

“I know that!” Harry cried with a bashful blush. “It's just… Snape.”

“Severus wasn't always as cold and bitter as he is now,” Emmeline assured him. She stared out into the ocean, looking rather forlorn. “He was incredibly kind,” she murmured. Then she shook her head. “But that was many years ago.” she looked out to the horizon again and nodded. “We should get back. Severus has probably stopped brooding by now.” Harry nodded, but he remained thoughtful the whole hike back to the little cottage. 

“Where have you been!?” Snape shouted as the door opened. His scowl was thunderous and his eyes fiery. 

“Harry and I went for a little walk,” Emmeline said matter of factly.

“Funny,” Snape drawled coldly, “I thought I'd made it rather clear he wasn't to leave until his homework was finished.”

“He needed a break,” Emmeline argued coolly. Snape sneered.

“Well! I hope it was worth it,” Snape said firmly, “because there will be no more ‘breaks’ for the foreseeable future.”

“Harry,” Emmeline said flatly, “please go upstairs.”

“Yes Ms. Vance.” Harry murmured worriedly as he scampered out from under Snape’s watchful gaze. As he closed the door he heard the voices below him grow very heated. It seemed to go on for hours. After a while, Harry covered his ears with his hands and groaned. Eventually, the door slammed. Harry hugged his knees to his chest and thought about what Emmeline had told him. No wonder the pair were always so snippy. It couldn't be easy having to be around your ex all the time. There was a tap on his door.

“Commin,” Harry murmured. Emmeline walked in. She looked down at Harry's scrunched-up position and let out a weary sigh.

“I'm sorry you had to hear that Harry,” she said as she came to sit on his bed. “I'm afraid Severus is still being a stubborn arse.” Harry let out a sputter of shocked laughter. Then he frowned.

“Where did Snape go?” he asked worriedly.

“I told him he had to take a walk.” Emmeline declared a matter of factly. “Evidently he agreed with me.” Harry blinked and couldn't help but bite his lip to keep from laughing. Emmeline caught his eyes with her own conspiratory eyes. 

“Toad in a hole for dinner?” she offered.

“I can help,” Harry argued. Emmeline gave him a look.

“Certainly.” she finally decided. 

Severus appeared on the cliff side with a crack. As he stood on the top of the edge, fist-shaking, and temper broiling he couldn't stand it any longer. He let out a furious angry scream.

“Bloody Emmeline, and her bloody bleeding heart!” he screamed as he kicked a rock into the swirling ocean below. Then he took a deep breath, rubbing first his eyes and then his temples. Why did she always do this? How did she push his buttons and attack the loose thread that frayed his nerves so quickly? It was hard enough controlling the boy during the year without having her undermine his authority! Now she was coddling him! He growled and kicked another rock over the edge. She always made him want to kick something! He took another deep breath. He looked out to the horizon and huffed again. He better get back to the cottage. Leaving Emmeline and Potter alone for too long was a bad idea. There probably wasn't even a cottage to get back to. Despite this, he turned and began the walk back to the cottage. It was about an hour when he finally marched up the path to the door. As he opened the door a delicious smell hit him. 

“Oh!” Harry cried in shock from the dining room “Hey Professor! We've got some under stasis for you.”

“‘Some’ being?” Snape drawled casually.

“Toad in the hole and mushy peas,” Emmeline responded with a smile. “Harry shared his recipe with me. It's really quite marvellous."

"I beg your pardon?" Snape asked incredulously. "You say Potter gave you a recipe?"

"Yeah. For the mushy peas." Harry said, "though I mean technically it's my aunt's recipe, but I was always the one who made it."

"Impossible," Snape said plainly.

"What? Why?" Harry demanded with a scowl.

"Because Potter, you can't cook," Snape said with a roll of his eyes.

"Yes, I can!" Harry shouted angrily. "Take a bite and you'll see."

"I know you can't cook Potter," Snape said firmly, "because you're terrible at potions."

"How is that even remotely similar?!" Harry cried in exasperation. Snape dropped his spoon on the table and scrubbed his face with his hands.

"Potter, tell me, when you cook, do you not have to prepare certain ingredients in a certain way, while maintaining specific temperatures and stirring in specific ways?" Snape demanded with utter exhaustion in his voice. Harry blinked, opening and closing his mouth a few times before a sheepish blush lit up his cheeks. 

"I.. er… never really thought about it like that." He admitted.

"You never really thought of it like that," Snape repeated before he huffed and pinched the bridge of his nose. Then he picked up his spoon and took a bite of the food in front of him. The deliciousness seemed to make him even more frustrated as he began grumpily muttering in between bites. Emmeline tossed Harry a conspiratory smile and a wink before she tucked in herself. As the meal wound down Snape cleared his throat.

"Let me say this Potter, if you apply yourself with half as much effort in potions as you apparently do for cooking, I suspect you just might be able to get through next semester with a passing grade… and possibly fewer house points lost." The latter was said with a bit of melancholy. Harry smirked.

"I'm sure you'll find some other excuse to take points, professor." The teen argued. Snape scoffed and walked into the kitchen with the dirty dishes. 

"You just encouraged Severus to take points from you," Emmeline remarked with a chuckle. Harry blinked before groaning and covering his face with his hands. Severus couldn't help but look up as Emmeline burst into melodious laughter.