Snape wordlessly accepted the long roll of parchment Harry offered him.

Harry knew the writing wasn't something to be particularly proud of, but punishment essays never were, and at least he had really tried for once.

"Hrm." Snape looked up with an arched eyebrow. "No Granger to look over your work? It shows."

Harry gritted his teeth, not taking the bait.

"Tell me," Snape continued, and there was a hint of a nasty smile tugging at the corner of his mouth, "what do you believe you have accomplished with this?"

"I --" Harry paused, having begun too quickly in his growing anger. "I wanted to learn the properties of the eighteen plants you assigned, sir."

"Oh?" If anything, Snape's eyebrow arched higher in disbelief.

"Because," Harry said, his voice strangled as he battled with his temper, "you wouldn't have assigned them if they weren't important."

"And have you learned them?"

"I have," Harry said, trying to sound sure of it, because after the hours he had spent on the essay he must know them.

Snape kept him pinned under that unforgiving, unbelieving gaze for a long minute. "We shall see if that is true or if, more likely, you have merely learned how to copy relevant passages out of a book without Granger hovering at your elbow." He turned and walked to the front of the room, stopping next to a long table. He waited for Harry to follow.

"Here is your assignment."

Harry looked down with dread, but found only a tray with eighteen potions ingredients lined up in neat rows. The same ones he had failed to identify before.

"Identify each plant, name one potion that uses it, and sort according to toxicity in raw form."

Harry looked up questioningly, because surely this could not be Snape's actual assignment... because surely Snape wouldn't give him a second chance at the same task. But Snape had already turned away, settling behind his desk after throwing Harry's essay on top of the dying embers in the fireplace, where it smoldered before catching aflame.

Harry swallowed hard and forced himself to look down at the tray, pick up a quill, and begin.

"Did you expect him to frame it?"

"Of course not," Harry said, wishing he had never said anything to Lupin. Lots of good it ever did; Lupin just took Snape's side every time. "But he didn't have to burn it."

"No. No, he didn't. But that's his way of doing things."

"Forget it," Harry muttered, standing up. "I'm going to bed."

"Harry..."

Harry shook his head and kept walking. "Good-night, Professor."

"Harry, stop. Sit down."

He stopped, but he didn't turn around. "What for?"

"So that we can --" Lupin paused. "So that I can understand. I didn't mean to upset you."

"I'm not upset," Harry said peevishly. "Or at least I wasn't."

"Then sit down and tell me what has upset you, because you are upset now."

Reluctantly, seeing nothing good possibly coming from staying when he could feel anger beginning to boil inside him, Harry returned to his chair.

Lupin looked at him warily. "This keeps happening, doesn't it? Somehow we say the very wrong things..."

"Well, you -- !" Harry cut himself off and looked down at the floor, scowling. "Forget it."

"No, I'm listening. I'm trying to understand. So that we can try to fix this."

Harry snorted. "Right."

"You're always angry," Lupin said hesitantly. "Everything upsets you. Sometimes I think I know why, and sometimes it's my fault or..."

Harry scowled harder. Lupin couldn't even finish that thought. Couldn't admit that sometimes it was Snape's fault.

"Let's start with what happened just now," Lupin continued. "I asked how your tutoring sessions were going and --"

"And I told you!"

"Yes, you told me, and I'm very sorry that you're upset about the essay, but --"

"BUT I'M NOT UPSET ABOUT IT!" Harry exploded.

Lupin frowned. "But why tell me about it, then?"

"Because you asked me! You asked me and I told you! And you --" Harry sputtered, "-- you just hear what you want to hear, and defend Snape, like you always do, when I wasn't even saying anything about Snape!"

He stopped, out of breath, and clenched his teeth, hating that he never had the right words to say exactly what he meant, and hating even more that he'd let his temper loose again.

Lupin didn't say anything, just kept looking at him with a frown.

Harry shifted uncomfortably.

"I see," Lupin said finally.

Harry very much doubted that.

"Tell me, what did you expect me to say when you told me Professor Snape burned your essay?"

"I don't know," Harry said through gritted teeth.

"But clearly what I did say was not what you wanted to hear."

"You didn't have to defend him."

"I --" Lupin stopped abruptly, frowning again. "And what would you have done had I said nothing at all?"

Harry glared at him. "I would have told you I got my assignment right, except for getting two plants out of order because Snape gave me narcissus leaves instead of bulbs, and it's the bulbs that are toxic." He stopped and glared harder. "Go on, then. Go ahead and defend him for that, too, while you're at it."

Lupin stayed silent.

"And then," Harry continued, unable to keep the challenge out of his voice, "I spent an hour slicing different ingredients, which I'm pretty decent at, considering how much practice I've had in years of detentions."

"I see."

"And then he told me to go see you, and I did." Harry couldn't resist glaring again. "Just in case you thought I'd come here just to complain about Snape."

"Professor --" Lupin started, and then seemed to think better of it and shook his head. "I didn't think that, Harry. I have something for you... something you asked for before."

"You still thought I was complaining about Snape," Harry said stubbornly. "Just like always."

"Well, yes, because you always --" Lupin stopped again and drew a deep breath. "Or maybe I assume you do. Harry, it does seem to me as if you complain about every single thing he does."

"No, I don't! I really don't -- you just think I am, every time I say anything -- and if I didn't say anything, then... then I would never tell you anything -- !"

Lupin stared at him with an expression of utmost lack of comprehension. "So what you're saying, Harry, is that when you're complaining you're... er... not complaining?"

The only thing that managed to come out of Harry's mouth was a sort of frustrated huff.

"I see..." Lupin said, drawing the words out.

"No, you don't," Harry said irritably.

"No," Lupin said, sighing. "You're right, I don't."

They sat in silence for a while.

"It's only that I can't commiserate with you, Harry, like you must have learned to expect from your friends -- Ron and Hermione and all the rest. I have to think about the consequences of fueling your anger and your dislike. It's not that I don't sympathize when unfair things happen to you. It must seem, from your point of view, that I make excuses when those things happen --"

Harry snorted.

Lupin didn't continue.

"Sorry," Harry said grudgingly. "It's just that... you do."

Lupin let another minute drag by in silence, his brow furrowed. He crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back in his seat. There was such a clear sense of an imminent change of tactics that Harry instinctively braced himself.

"I need you to learn to get along with him," Lupin said, his voice brittle and hard-edged. "I know he's unfair to you. I know you feel he picks on your weaknesses and doesn't give you credit for your strengths. I know his expectations are too high. I know there's five years of bad history between you, and nearly a decade more bad history between him and James that he can't let go. I know your current situation must grate on your every nerve." He sat up abruptly, his hand grasping Harry's until it almost hurt. "Right now he's the only thing standing between you and things I'm too terrified to even voice."

Harry tried to pull his hand free, but Lupin wouldn't let him.

"Maybe I haven't told you enough to make you understand, but I'm too afraid. Too afraid it will make things worse instead of better. There are lives at stake... and not just yours and mine."

"I know that," Harry said, his voice barely above a whisper. He gave up his struggle for freedom from Lupin's grasp. "I know."

Lupin's other hand came up to the side of Harry's head, stroking his hair roughly. "I know you do. I'm sorry, because I know everything reminds you of Sirius and you think it was your fault..." His voice hitched. "What happened wasn't your fault. But we can't afford any more mistakes. We need -- I need -- for you to do what you promised me you would do, because I don't have the strength to always be there to make you... I don't know if I'll always be able..." Lupin let him go abruptly, dropping his head into his hands. "I'm sorry."

Harry rubbed his sore hand, but could do nothing about the dull ache in his chest. He had nearly forgotten, but looking at Lupin now he was reminded sharply of just how unwell Lupin looked.

Lupin sat up, raking his greying hair off his face with his fingers. He smiled wanly. "There are hard times ahead, Harry."

Harry nodded numbly.

"You must have noticed that our circumstances change from day to day. What appears certain today may be impossible the next. What seems impossible today may be the only available course of action tomorrow." He stopped and waited for Harry to nod again. "I've made some promises to you that... I haven't kept. I've made others that now I realize I shouldn't have. It wasn't the way I meant things to be, Harry."

"I understand," Harry said, trying to.

"Do you?"

Harry swallowed.

"I promised you that you would have to play the part of Hadrian Snape for only a short time."

"But... you don't know, do you?" Harry said, his throat constricting. "You don't know how long it might be."

"No." Lupin let out a shaky breath. "And we don't have another plan. Not any plan that would let you continue your education uninterrupted or still see your friends. This is the best we could come up with. If we must, we will go into hiding, but Harry, that must be avoided if it can be."

Harry thought about Sirius, trapped in Grimmauld Place for months, and about his own short stay there. He shivered involuntarily.

"The Order needs every one of its members, now more than ever. We need a strong presence at Hogwarts. Any staff position we can't maintain control of will be filled by the Ministry, and I know I don't need to tell you what the result will be. Our best weapon is the truth, but the truth is useless if we are not here to make sure the students hear it. The best thing you can do, for all of our sakes, is to make the best of what you have right now. I know it doesn't seem to you like there's any good in this, but there is good that can come from all of this, if you try to find it."

"I'm trying."

"I know."

"I'll try harder," Harry said. He wished his voice didn't sound so unsteady.

Lupin smiled weakly. "I know."

"I..." Harry hesitated. "I can't like someone who doesn't like me, can I?"

"No, I suppose not." Lupin sighed and shook his head. "No. Luckily a boy in your situation can't be expected to like his estranged father... right away. That sort of thing takes time. But Harry... Hadrian doesn't have all the reasons you do for not getting along with Professor Snape."

"Right," Harry said defeatedly. "I know. We've talked about this."

"Yes, but... I expected there would be time. I thought we would have more time before you would have to do this, but..."

"But the Weasleys are here," Harry finished for him.

"Yes, and that changes everything. There is no time. I know you are doing the best you can, and you have done well so far, but you have also been lucky."

Harry nodded, thinking of his very first day at Hogwarts, and just how close he had come to ruining everything.

"Just remember -- and this is the most important thing of all, Harry -- always assume that what you do is seen and what you say is heard. If you are not sure, for any reason, that it's safe, I need you to assume it's not." Lupin stood abruptly and crossed over the door, smacking it with his wand. A faint glow spread outward from the point of impact. "From now on, unless you see me lock and ward the door, and we are alone, I need you to assume that it isn't safe to say anything -- anything -- that could reveal who you really are. Understood?"

"I understand."

Lupin glanced at the clock and shook his head. "There is never enough time. I had more to tell you, but it can wait. You've been here too long already."

"Right," Harry said, getting up. Then he remembered. "Er... didn't you have something you were going to give me?"

Lupin shuffled papers and books around his desk, finally coming up with a small, narrow box, which he offered to Harry. "A watch. Tells time... among other things."

"Oh," Harry said, trying to make sense of the various numbers, symbols, and numerous moving hands. "Thanks."

"The dial at the top tells the time. I'll show you what the others do later."

"Thanks," Harry said again, fastening the leather strap on his wrist. "This is great."

"You'd best go now. It really is very late. Do you need me to walk with you?"

"No, I'll manage."

"Then, good-night."

"Good-night."

Lupin unlocked the door and opened it, letting Harry out. "Good-night, Hadrian."

"Good-night, Professor."

He didn't look back as the door shut behind him, leaving him alone in the corridor.

He met no one on his way back to his dungeon bedroom, which after Lupin's office seemed dark even with all the lights lit.

He sat down heavily on the edge of his bed, completely exhausted.

It was only the end of his third day at Hogwarts, but the day had felt a year long.

Harry awoke with a slightly groggy feeling of having overslept, but after checking his new watch he found that it was still long before breakfast. He took his time bathing, especially washing his hair, which seemed determined to tangle into an oily mess. He dressed and went down to the Great Hall.

He didn't see anyone on his way, and somehow, though he could not explain why, the castle's silent emptiness gave him a bad feeling. He checked his watch again, but unless it was wrong, or unless he was reading it wrong -- Lupin did say the top dial told the time? -- he was still on time.

There was no one in the Great Hall.

Harry sat down and waited, checking his watch impatiently and becoming less and less certain that the top dial did in fact tell time.

If it did tell time, and if he was reading it correctly, then it was twenty minutes past the breakfast hour, and still there was no one but himself in the Great Hall. The feeling of something being wrong grew stronger.

He didn't know exactly where the Weasleys were staying, and it would do him no good to look for them anyway. Lupin's office was not as close as the dungeons, and anyway, he was starting to think he should go back to his room and stay put until someone came for him and explained what was going on.

He got up from the table and got as far as the Entrance Hall before changing his mind.

If something was wrong, someone would have come, woken him up, and told him to stay in his room or take his Cloak and hide... or something. They wouldn't leave him to wander around the castle alone.

No, he had probably overslept, and the watch was probably wrong, and Snape was probably waiting for him to show up for their morning session, ready to berate him about his tardiness.

He hurried down the stairs to the dungeons. Not that it really made any difference how late he was; being even a few seconds late was a criminal offense as far as Snape was concerned.

He rounded the corner and stopped short.

Snape's office door was ajar, flooding the corridor ahead with light.

Harry continued at a slow walk, not relishing the thought of the coming confrontation in the least. He didn't think an open door was a particularly good sign... not that he ever enjoyed standing outside of Snape's office, trying to work up the courage to knock.

He stopped in the doorway, squinting in the unusually bright light but too nervous to wonder about it.

Snape was sitting at his desk. He looked up from the parchment he was holding, setting it down.

"Ah, there you are. Close the door behind you, please, and sit down."

Harry turned automatically to obey, even as a feeling of disorientation washed over him. In the seconds it took to push the door shut, his suddenly sluggish mind tried to make sense of Snape's unexpected tone.

He turned around, trying to keep his muddled feelings from showing on his face, and sat down on the visitor's bench in front of Snape's desk.

"I apologize for being late, sir," he said cautiously. His mind jumped from thought to thought, unable to find focus. Was Snape's usually pale face paler than usual? Was the usually stale air in the dungeon office more stale and stifling than usual? "I went down to breakfast, but --"

"No need to apologize," Snape said. "I had some things to take care of this morning and could not come down at the usual time. If you have not eaten, we shall have breakfast together shortly."

Harry's skin crawled, a drop of sweat running down his spine. Lupin's warning the previous night lurched into his mind.

"That will be great... Dad."

He was keenly aware that his voice fell far short of steady.

Snape's mouth contorted into a semblance of a smile. "Did you sleep well?"

"Yes, very well."

A cough interrupted Snape's response. "Hrmph. Perhaps I could be introduced?"

Harry's heart jumped nearly out of his chest, the feeling of being plunged into ice cold water slamming into his stomach.

And yet...

And yet, he could not understand for the life of him how he could be startled to see Minister Fudge sitting in the guest chair at the side of Snape's desk, for Minister Fudge had been in that same chair, flanked on either side by two silent Aurors, since the moment Harry had entered Snape's office.