After their “Occlumency” session, Snape did not let Harry leave the room right away. Instead, he pulled out a red bottle from a pocket and called Harry closer to where he was sitting.

“I’ve been neglecting this, of late,” Snape said. He had been neglecting it, but gave no apologies. “Remember our deal?” Snape asked as he held the familiar bottle out for Harry to see. The light in the room made it appear brighter than usual.

Harry eyed him carefully, “Yes, one question and then you’ll put it on my arm, and make my scar disappear.” He clasped his hand to the inside of his right elbow where he had been cut in fourth year.

“That’s right,” Snape said. “Here’s the question. How were you punished with your relatives?”

Why would Snape want to know that? Harry had no idea, perhaps he wanted to know how miserable Harry had been. Maybe he liked the idea of Harry being punished, maybe he thought that Harry’s relatives didn’t do it well enough. Maybe he wanted to do the same things.

Noticing his hesitation Snape reminded, “You don’t have to answer, but if you do not answer you will not get the potion.”

Harry glanced at the potion, then at Snape, deciding that there wasn’t anything Harry could tell him that Snape couldn’t already do. “Well, mostly they locked me in my room. A lot of time I didn’t get dinner… Aunt Petunia used to come up with the worst chores to do, and Uncle used to grab my hair,” Harry said, rubbing his head in memory. “Sometimes he’d throw me in my cupboard.”

“Cupboard?” Snape asked and Harry narrowed his eyes, and crossed his arms at Snape’s latest try.

“One question only, remember?”

“Tell me this, Potter,” Snape said firmly.

The potion was out of reach unless Harry answered, he hated how unfair Snape could be. Pouting angrily, Harry demanded, “It was my room. Can I have that potion yet?” He felt that he had done his side of the bargain, plus more.

Snape narrowed his eyes at Harry’s insolent tone. “Yes.”

Harry let his arm out, and with nimble fingers Snape lifted Harry’s sleeve, and applied the potion to the scar of his arm. To Snape it looked improved, but not greatly. It would take several more applications before it was fully healed.

Harry thought about saying thank you, but he had paid for it with a question, two questions actually. Snape should be saying ‘sorry’ to Harry instead, for weaseling two questions out of him.

“Go get ready for bed now,” Snape instructed.

It came as a surprise to Harry, who had just worked for so long. He should be able to play some now! Just because Hoppity wasn’t around, that didn’t mean that he couldn’t play. “I don’t see why I have to go to bed so early,” Harry complained.

“Because you’ve been ill, and because I say so,” Snape replied, adamantly. Putting the bottle away, he stood up, and gave Harry a look.

Harry grumbled quietly, he wasn’t still ill, and Snape’s second reason wasn’t a very good one, in Harry’s opinion.

“Potter, move,” Snape stated quietly, giving that no-nonsense look Harry was becoming familiar with.

Fine, Harry wanted to shout as he turned and left the room, but he didn’t.

It was a little nice that someone wanted to see him resting because he had been ill.

But only a little.

After Harry had finished brushing his teeth, Snape saw him into bed and then pulled out a thermometer.

“But I’m all better!” Harry complained as Snape waved it around, and then and popped it into Harry’s mouth. “Uh don see wah aye hah-“

“Hush.” Snape gave him a warning glare and Harry flopped back into bed, defeated.

Some seconds passed, then, “Ih it don yeh?”

“Stop talking.” Aggravated, Snape reached out and held Harry’s mouth closed. “You’ll sabotage the reading.”

Harry thought it was unfair that he had to have the temperature reading at all. He was much better, and if Snape didn’t think he was, then why had he made him practice Occlumency?

“Mnm mmm mnm…” Harry tried to say behind Snape’s hand.

“Stop that,” Potter,” Snape glared, and threatened, “Or I’ll be forced to take a reading from somewhere else.”

Harry wisely hushed up.

Snape removed his hand, and tapped his foot for awhile before pulling out the thermometer and looking at it. He didn’t say anything, so Harry figured he was probably going to live.

“You’re going to live. Now go to sleep,” Snape told him. He got up and made to turn off the lights.

“Wait!” Harry said, looking for his playmates. He quickly found his dragon and bunny near the side of the bed, and stuffed them under the blankets. “Okay. I’m ready now.”

But the lights didn’t go off, and Snape didn’t leave. Harry looked up, and asked curiously, “What?”

“Nothing,” Snape said shortly and flipped the lights. He shut the door, leaving Harry to puzzle out things. Maybe Snape had been thinking about a potion, or wishing that he hadn’t given Harry that bunny. Well too bad for him, it was Harry’s and he wasn’t giving it back.

Harry pulled the rabbit close to himself under the covers and drifted off to sleep.

---

The next day everything was back to normal, Hoppity was smiling, Snape was scowling, and Harry was happily getting ready for school.

Harry struggled to put on his shoes at the foot of the stairs, and asked, “I get to play soccer today, right? After school?” He was looking forward to running in the sun with his friends after being alone, and inside for so long.

“No, Harry, that’s tomorrow,” Hoppity said as she looked at a flyer she had found pushed under the front door.

Harry dropped a troublesome shoe. “But... I haven’t played soccer for what seems like forever!”

“That’s because you missed Tuesday. You were sick.”

“I missed soccer?” Harry cried. He had known that, sort of, but it felt like news to him.

“You’ll get to play tomorrow though.”

No he wouldn’t! “But-but-,” She didn’t understand!

Hoppity moved closer, concerned. “What’s the matter, Harry?” He seemed strangely upset for such a small thing.

“I’ll get kicked off the team! I missed, and now again- I only got to play one game!” Soccer was the closest thing he could get to Quidditch, it had been so much fun! And now, he was going to lose it.

“Oh, no, that’s not how it is,” Hoppity said consolingly. “I’m sure you can’t get kicked off for that. You were sick, you can’t help that. In fact, you’re not even allowed to come to practice if you’re sick. They’d send you home.”

They would?

“So no, I’m sure you’re not kicked off.”

Okay then. Harry wiped at his nose with a shirt sleeve before picking up his shoe and trying again.

Hoppity gasped, and Harry looked up in concern. Maybe she remembered something and he really was kicked off? But no, her face was happily animated, “I know! How about we stop at a Muggle bookstore today after school, just you and me. It’ll be a lot of fun!”

He smiled in happiness at the suggestion. “Okay.” Anything was fun with Hoppity, even a bookstore.

“But school first. Can’t miss that.”

School, bookstore, and soccer. What fun. If only he could avoid Snape and his Occlumency, it would be a perfect week…

---

Hoppity found him after school, just like always, and they set off in search of a bookstore. Finally, they pulled up in front of a really large store, and Harry looked at it in wonder until Hoppity found a parking space and the car next to them blocked his view.

“Is that all a bookstore? How come all the shops are really huge here?” Harry asked.

“I don’t know, but let’s go find out. There don’t seem to be so many people living together here, though, that they’d need such big stores.”

“Maybe they sell other things too? Like cars? Car books?” Books as big as cars? That seemed silly.

“Haha, maybe.”

They walked to the front and entered. It was massive inside, like a museum, and all full of books. His bushy haired friend would love it and never leave.

Harry moved a little closer to Hoppity, and grasped her hand. “Don’t forget me here, okay?”

Hoppity tightened her hold on his hand and looked down. “Oh, don’t worry Harry. I’d never do that. Just stay nearby, okay?”

Harry nodded and they set off, looking at all the bright books in the store. Hoppity was into every book, asking Harry if he thought that it looked interesting, or if a student would like it, and, “What is Quantum Mechanics, anyway?” Harry had no clue. She put down the book and picked up another, “Let’s stick to making Muggle Doll houses…”

Carrying a book or two, Harry followed her and the big stack of books she was carrying, when something caught his eye, or rather his eye and his nose. There was a chocolate smell in the air, and there was a different part of the store, full of tables and people reading with cups. A counter was there too, full of sweets.

Maybe… no… he had just been sick, even if Hoppity was really nice she wouldn’t get him a sweet. Harry looked around to follow Hoppity again, but she was gone!

He quickly looked around some more, looking at all the people for a woman with fuzzy hair and glasses, carrying a huge stack of books.

He couldn’t find her.

Panicking, Harry realized that his worst fear had come true. She had forgotten him.

Just like that.

If Harry were older, he would have realized that she wasn’t far off, and set off to find her, but he wasn’t, and the bookshelves seemed like a giant maze, full of twists and turns, and probably monsters hiding at the ends.

What should he do? Would she come back for him? Harry thought about going back to the car. She’d have to go back there at some time, when she wanted to leave.

“Harry?”

Hoppity’s voice! He looked up and immediately ran to her. So she had not forgotten him, not really! He was not leaving her side again. “I couldn’t find you,” Harry breathed out, so glad that she had come back.

Hoppity looked down worriedly, and patted his head with an elbow as her hands were full of books. “My, you’re out of sorts today.”

Huh? What did that mean? Probably that he got easily lost, yes, that must be what she meant. Right?

At his questioning glace, she switched topics, “Say why don’t we go get some brownies? I think I smell some.” She started sniffing the air like a mouse, and relieved, Harry gave a small laugh and followed her to the counter, leaving their books on a nearby eating table.

After messily eating some brownies, and washing their hands in a nearby loo, Hoppity said that it was time to check out the children’s section.

“After all, most of Hog-our students are children, and the children’s books often explain things so much better.”

They spent over an hour going through children’s books. Harry had discovered a wonderful series full of pictures of people, and the places they lived in, like castles and ships. Hoppity seemed fascinated by what Muggles had on magical creatures like fairies and gnomes and dragons.

There were a lot of books, and when they were done selecting the ones to buy, Hoppity had to ask one of the employees to help her carry them to the register, and then to the car, despite the fact that Harry was helping by carrying a bag of books too.

Harry was so excited that they bought so many books! And that they were interesting books too! Usually books were just pages full of words, but these books- they were marvelous! Harry thought about the books all the way home, and then he thought about where they were going to put them all. Maybe Hoppity would let Harry keep some of them in his room.

They were almost to the house when something caught Harry’s eye and Hoppity’s too. The pretty house at the corner of their street had its side garden uprooted. Dirt and chopped off flowers were thrown all over the plundered garden and the lawn.

"What a shame." Hoppity said, noting the garden as they drove past it. "It was always so pretty. I don’t think that its owner would have done that… some vandals must have decided to wreak havoc. Such a shame."

Harry looked at the garden for as long as he could, twisting in his seat until it was too far behind them. It seemed odd that anyone would dig up flowers and cut the roots off. In fact, only someone like Snape would want something like that- Snape had even asked Harry to get him some before!

It must have been Snape. How could he have been so mean? But then Harry realized that was Snape! He was always mean.

As soon as they got inside, and put their bags of books down, Harry sought out Snape.

Snape wasn’t downstairs, readily available like he usually was when Harry and Hoppity came home. Harry knew where he’d most likely be, though.

He headed straight for the basement. The door was closed, but Harry was sure that Snape was down there. He imagined that he could hear the guts of some poor insects being squashed out. Harry turned the knob and started down the stairs, determined to find one Potions Master.

What was Harry going to do? He was going to demand that Snape give back the roots- okay so maybe that might not be possible –

“Ahhhh-!” Harry was suddenly swept up by something, tumbling head over heels down the stairs. He was falling and spinning, and suddenly, just as quick as it started, he was lurched to a stop, dangling upside down. Harry couldn’t see, he was wrapped up in something, and he started to panic as he realized that he couldn’t move either.

“Elp!” Harry yelled. His frantic motions to get free made his cocoon swing.

“Potter!”

So Snape was behind this too! He knew it!

“What do you think you’re doing?” Snape demanded, his voice getting closer, and then hands reached out and steadied the Harry cocoon.

Harry did not cease his struggling though. He accused, “You booby trapped me!”

“You did this to yourself,” Snape said, sounding irritable. “You know that you are not to come down here.”

“And you’re not supposed to use magic!”

“Hm,” went Snape. Hm? What did that mean?

“Well?” Harry demanded from within his cocoon. “What do you have to say for yourself? First you stole some roots – I know you did it! And then you booby trapped me! Wait ‘til I tell Hoppity!”

“Maybe I should just leave you here,” Snape considered out loud.

Harry stilled. He wouldn’t.

“It might do you some good to stay still for awhile, allow some blood to reach your brain.”

Hey! Harry had plenty of blood when he was right-side up, thank you very much.

“But as to your accusations about some roots, I’m afraid that I have no idea as to what you are talking about.” It was airy, superior, and a bold faced lie.

"I know what you did. That house with the pretty flowers- well you dug them up! And stole their roots!" Harry kicked a little in the cocoon, mad on behalf of the flowers and their owner, and this time no one reached out to steady him. The cocoon moved into a slight spin.

Snape denied everything, “I assure you that I am completely innocent, and ignorant of the matter, Potter.”

“You should at least buy them new seeds!”

Snape didn’t answer and Harry was left hanging, upside down, slightly swaying. He tried to strain his hearing to see what Snape was up to. He could probably expect a sharp poke from any direction. Or maybe Snape was planning on leaving him here until Hoppity noticed that he was missing.

“I suppose that I must let you down. You are blocking the stairway.”

Harry felt relief when someone’s hands picked him up, unhooked his cocoon somehow, and set him down. Unfortunately, he was not completely right side up and Harry sprawled to the floor.

He started trying to kick his way out, and pull the cloth from off his face, but he was just as unsuccessful as before. He did manage to move, though, across the floor.

“Potter!” Snape bit out as Harry bumped into his leg. “Hold still and let me free you.”

“No! I don’t want a root killer helping me!” Harry struggled, and struggled some more before taking a break, and panting. It was too hard to get free!

He wondered if Snape would still help him.

“…Snape?”

“Yes, Potter?” There was a definite smirk in his voice.

“I changed my mind.”

“I thought that you did not want a ‘root killer’ helping you?” the voice asked, moving away.

“Yes, well-”

“Yes, what?” The voice came closer.

“You put me here so you should take me out!” Harry exclaimed petulantly.

Snape tsked. “My, my, with an attitude like that, I should just leave you here for the night.”

He wouldn’t dare. Hoppity would wonder where he was. And then when she found him, Harry would tell her everything.

“You’ll let me out if you know what’s good for you!” Harry struggled, trying to get free.

Hands reached out and then the cloth was being pulled off of him roughly. Harry was quickly placed upright, unsteady after being upside down, but strong arms held him up. Then Snape was there, looking into his eyes, quite firmly.

“Potter,” Snape quietly growled, “If you know what’s good for you, you will drop that insolent tone.” But Harry could see one corner of his mouth, trying to quirk upwards.

Harry gulped. “Yes, sir,” he said respectfully.

Snape forcefully guided Harry to the chair at the table he had been using as his potions station. “Sit,” he commanded as he went around to the other side to lean over the table and look down at Harry. He asked in a quiet, deadly tone, “You are aware that there are certain potions needed that can help in the fight against The Dark Lord?”

Harry nodded warily.

“Do you feel, that the life of some simple flowers are more important than the potions created with them that could save the lives of your friends, and countless others?” Snape asked, his face leaning closer to Harry’s.

“Well, no, but that’s not-”

“That is what you are saying with your outrage,” Snape said, “And if I had been the culprit in uprooting those flowers, I would only be mildly annoyed, but that is not the case. I had nothing whatsoever to do with the destruction of your flowers. If I needed ingredients, I would simply buy them.”

So then Snape didn’t do it. Harry was wrong.

Snape continued, “Destruction of another’s property is wrong, as you should know. So is falsely accusing another. What do you intend to do to rectify the matter?”

Harry swallowed. He suddenly felt very small. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry that- that I accused you when I was wrong.”

Snape stood up, crossing his arms. “And?” he prompted.

“I know you didn’t really dig up the nice neighbor’s garden, and steal the roots,” Harry said, fidgeting.

Snape’s fingers tapped impatiently on his arms. “And?”

“And- I’m sorry?” Harry asked. The only thing he could think of was to buy the neighbor some more flowers and plant them, but that was something for the neighbor, not Snape.

“Hm,” Snape said gruffly, and not really pleased as far as Harry could tell, “I will accept just your apology this time, but next time I will not be so lenient,” he warned.

Harry nodded, relieved to be let go so easily. He moved to get off the chair but Snape’s voice stopped him.

“There is the matter of your willfully disobeying me about entering my personal potions area. Did I not make it clear that you were never to come down here, unless I explicitly asked you to?” Snape demanded, and this time there was no quirking of the mouth to be seen.

Harry wasn’t thinking of that at all when he opened the basement’s door. Truthfully, Snape hadn’t said that, he had just yelled at him before, and told him never to go anywhere near his private property. But Harry assumed that counted. “Yes, but-” he thought that Snape had stolen those roots! There was no thought for rules when such wrongs had been done. Never mind that he felt so guilty now.

“But nothing,” Snape said. There was a gleam in his eye, one that Harry was not happy to see. Usually it meant that something terrible was coming Harry’s way. Snape bent under the table, and pulled out a cauldron, banging it on the table in front of Harry. “Since you are so determined to be in my lab, you may help out,” Snape said unyieldingly, “Scrub.”

Harry scowled at the dirty cauldron, bits of who-knows-what caked in the bottom, burnt to a crisp. Snape was probably saving it just for him. “But you booby trapped me,” Harry bitterly complained. “That should be punishment enough. I was upside down!”

“Be grateful that I did not leave you there overnight, and that you only have one cauldron to scrub,” Snape said menacingly as he handed Harry a scrub brush. Harry took the brush, and Snape poured some water into the dirty cauldron, and a generous amount of soap.

Scowling, Harry set to scrubbing the cauldron as best as he could. He hated this, but it did make him feel slightly better about wrongly accusing Snape. Soon, the soap turned into lather, but the caked on substance was still stuck on.

“This isn’t coming off,” Harry complained quietly, beating the bottom of the cauldron with the brush.

“Scrub harder,” was Snape’s reply as he leisurely perused some papers nearby, not even bothering to look up.

Harry stuck his tongue out, but quickly brought it back in when Snape turned his way. He hurriedly tried to appear to scrub harder than before.

Ten minutes later, after off and on scrubbing, and off and on comments from Snape, Harry had managed to get some of the caked-on substance off, but not all.

“Enough,” Snape said to Harry’s relief, and disbelief. Was Snape letting him go already? He was glad, he had been switching arms to scrub with, and they had both started to hurt awhile ago. But he couldn’t help but expect another punishment, a worse one like dissecting bugs again.

Snape stood up, and took the brush from Harry’s hands. “You will go to your room, and stay there until I say you can come out,” he said.

What? But that wasn’t fair! Harry already scrubbed the cauldron! He shouldn’t have to stay in his room too! No, he didn’t clean the whole cauldron, or even most of it, but still. He glared and crossed his arms, wanted to stomp his foot.

“I already scrubbed the cauldron,” Harry pointed out.

“And did a poor job at that,” Snape replied.

“I don’t think that I should have to go to my room too,” Harry tried, upset.

But Snape was unyielding as he clamped unto the back of Harry’s neck and maneuvered him out of the chair, and up the stairs, ignoring Harry’s protests.

Hoppity was sitting on the floor of the front room, sorting through the books, and rereading some of them. She looked up when they entered the room. “What’s going on?” she asked curiously.

“Potter disobeyed me by going into my lab. He is going to have some time out,” Snape replied calmly before Harry could say anything. The git. Why didn’t Snape tell Hoppity how he stole the roots- Oh wait. He didn’t. But he did booby trap Harry!

“Keep moving,” Snape said lowly. Harry crossed his arms, but he didn’t want to seem disobedient in front of Hoppity so he started for the stairs.

Passing the piles of books, Harry was reminded of his earlier wish to keep some in his room. Surely, Snape wouldn’t have anything against reading in his room? Harry moved towards them, “Can I-” but he was quickly cut off by Snape grabbing him, and pushing him gently forwards.

“No, Potter.”

“But I want some books,” Harry said longingly, looking back at the new books, and feeling sad

“Keep moving,” was Snape’s reply, guiding Harry to the stairs, one hand now clamped onto the back of his neck. “You’re not to be rewarded for your behavior.”

That just made Harry feel guiltier. Frowning, Harry was seen to his room, where Snape told him to stay.

“Now stay in here until I come get you,” Snape said sternly. “You may use the lav, but you may not go anywhere else.”

Harry pouted and sat on the floor. Fine. If Snape wanted to be so unfair then fine. He was a big bully, that’s what he was.

Harry shouldn’t have to stay in his room- How long did he have to stay in here anyway? Snape didn’t say, just that he had to stay until he came and got him. It could be days! Weeks!

Suddenly frightened, Harry got up and hurried to the door. He was hugely relieved when the knob turned, and the door opened. He wasn’t locked in!

“Potter,” a low voice warned, and Harry looked up to see Snape watching him down the hall. He clutched the knob and pulled it towards himself.

“Erm, I was just testing the door- I wasn’t trying to leave, honest!” Harry exclaimed, trying to be insignificant through the ever narrowing doorway. Not easy, when you were the only thing someone was looking at.

“Good, because you won’t like the consequences if you disobey me again,” Snape growled.

Harry quickly ducked back into his room and shut the door behind him. Heart beating, he listened for the tell tale sound of footsteps coming angrily closer to his room, and the sound of a lock turning. But nothing came, and there were no locking sounds. Relieved, Harry sat back in the middle of his room.

Harry probably wouldn’t be allowed out of his room before tomorrow morning, at the earliest. He wondered if Snape would catch him if he tried to leave him room late at night for a snack. Harry sighed dejectedly, Snape probably would catch him and then make him stay longer than before.

But surely Hoppity wouldn’t let him stay in for very long, right? And if Snape made him miss dinner, she’d bring him some up, right?

Yes, Harry decided. Hoppity was nice, and even more importantly, she liked him.

That settled Harry turned his attention to his toys. He might as well have some fun while he waited. And having fun while being punished would be the best way to spoil Snape’s punishment.

‘Ha, Snape! I beat you!’ Harry wanted to exclaim, but didn’t. Snape could be listening, and if Harry made too much noise, then he’d come in and investigate. He’d take away Harry’s toys.

Quietly, Harry gathered his favorite dragon and rabbit, and his Merlin and knight action figures, hiding them under his bed. He crawled after them with his pillow, intending on having an adventure in his new cave. He came back out to get his gooey lizards, the knights and Merlin needed some evil monsters to battle, after all.

Harry was lost in his adventure, it didn’t seem that long when Harry’s door was opened. Startled, Harry stopped, staying completely still.

It was Snape, Harry could see his feet from where he was under the bed. Black shoes, definitely Snape’s.

“Potter, you may come out of your room now, it’s time for dinner.”

Snape was fetching him for dinner?

“Potter?” Snape called out, sounding a little confused, and Harry almost wanted to giggle, but the tone quickly turned angry as Snape walked into the room, “Potter, where are you?”

“I’m here!” Harry struggled out from under the bed, fearing Snape’s sudden wrath if he thought that he had left the room.

“What on Merlin’s name were you doing under there?” Snape demanded. But before Harry could answer, Snape did, “Sulking, no doubt.”

Now standing, Harry crossed his arms, he was not sulking! He was playing! But he didn’t want to tell Snape that.

“So, I get dinner?” Harry asked tentatively instead.

“Yes, Potter,” Snape said to Harry’s relief. “But if I catch you in my lab again without permission,” he warned dangerously, leaning close to hiss in Harry’s ear, “I’ll make you sleep down there, next to a tub of dismembered, wriggling worms and insects, and you’ll eat them for breakfast in your porridge.”

Harry couldn’t help the shudder that went through him at the thought.

“I’m glad to see that you are sufficiently motivated to stay out,” Snape said, disturbingly pleased. “Now go wash up.”

“Yes, sir,” Harry said, hurrying away to his lav. As happy as Harry was to be having dinner, he suddenly wasn’t that hungry.

Worm and bug porridge, yuck.