Severus was not a fool, nor was Potter so difficult to read. Remus had told Albus about Black's mirror, who in turn had told Severus. Poor Potter had no secrets at all. Even if he hadn't known about the mirror, he would still have known that look anywhere; the look of guilt.

Guilt was a part of war, especially if you chose your role. For a man who disliked excuses so much, he recognized the necessity of excusing oneself from time to time, if only to maintain control and sanity. And on the positive side, mistakes led to lessons when they did not lead to death. After all, to err was human. But to err over and over again was just stupidity.

There was a part of Severus that recognized that Potter and Black's predicament was tragic and unjust, but there was an equally large part that saw that Potter and Black had made the same mistakes over and over and it was high time that Potter learned from them. This guilt that was apparent on Potter's face was good for him...for now. As long as it faded with time and was replaced by more mature rationality, Severus felt no need to extend himself to try and speak to Potter about it, not least because he was not really very sorry at all.

He had done his duty and had even gone beyond it by giving Black a perfectly good reason to stay away from the fight. Severus had to admit though, had he had any respect for Black to begin with, he would have lost it all if he hadn't gone to save his godson. He could not imagine not going to his own if Draco needed him. Beyond that, the Order could go hang itself if they thought he was going to mourn with them. For him it was enough to say that, yes, he did feel the gravity of the situation and, no, he was not celebrating Black's death. He could even admit to a sad sort of nostalgia, knowing that his childhood enemy had died. But he did not mourn. And the Order never mourned with him, not that they even knew he mourned. What would they think if they knew that he mourned the death of every enemy, even when he caused it? No, it was best to keep that quiet.

Harry was just now starting to think that maybe it was a mistake, coming out here with Snape. No matter what had happened in the last few days, nothing had really changed between them at all. Harry still felt just as uncomfortable in the man's presence as before, unable to ask questions or make any conversation at all. And he would have loved to change the subject just now. Now, with the reminder of Sirius' recent death and his own part in it, he wanted nothing more than to think up an excuse and escape to other parts of the castle to be alone.

But on a happier note, Snape completely ignored what Harry had thought was his very obvious anguish and turned away to continue onto the wards. Harry fell into step behind him and followed silently, hoping that Snape would say something in character to bring back a sense of normalcy. And at length, he did.

"Keep that mirror on you at all times Mr. Potter. If I am ever unable to reach you, I will assume the worse and call for backup. If you are unable to reach me, raise an alarm spell and then portkey away immediately and go straight to Grimmauld Place through the floo. Do not hesitate to do this; it is better to be safe than dead. The alarm will alert the others in the castle and you may rest assured that they will escape without hesitation as well." Snape stopped and turned to Harry abruptly then and Harry almost fell trying not to bump into him. A hand shot out to steady him and then just as quickly retreated. When Harry looked up, Snape was looking very serious, even more so than usual. "You must have your wand on you at all times Potter, is that clear?" Harry nodded his head adamantly. Oh yes, that was very clear to him after the last few days.

Snape knew that he had been clear, but knowing Potter, he would try doing something foolish or heroic. "Mr. Potter, in war, it is imperative that each person do their part. If you do not follow my directions, then I or others, yourself included, may be placed in danger. When there is a plan, you must trust that others are doing their part and act accordingly. No heroics Mr. Potter, I am warning you!"

"Well it's a lot easier to do when you know the plan," Harry mumbled. He was thinking of all last year when no one had told him anything. No matter how guilty he felt he still got angry over that. If Dumbledore or anyone had just told him what was going on, none of it would have happened!

Severus clenched his fist once, then let it go. Disrespectful tone aside, Potter was completely right. He probably didn't understand it from a more experienced viewpoint, having never really led disciplined men into battle, but he was right. Even if you didn't know the entire story, having a good idea of the plan and understanding the dangers was tantamount to success. And Severus congratulated himself on being right. Potter being able to say out loud, to him of all people, that what had happened in the last month was not entirely of his own making was progress. But it wouldn't make him forget his lapses in judgment and that would be a valuable lesson.

Harry recoiled slightly after having said that. He shouldn't forget that no matter what Snape had done for him, this was the same man that had lobbed a jar of cockroaches at his head. Although, to be fair, that was for an offence quite a bit more serious than just speaking his mind. Snape stared him in the eye for several tense seconds, seeming to look for something. Whatever he saw must have satisfied him, because he nodded once, turned on his heel and started walking again.

"Quite right Potter," he began speaking again. "Though a person must also prove themselves worthy of such knowledge. You will appreciate the danger of the situation now, I think. Make sure you act appropriately."

Harry nodded, though Snape didn't notice it. After several moments of walking in silence toward the gates, Snape pointed out toward the grounds and began speaking. He slipped easily into the role of teacher and lecturer.

"Wards are complicated magic and often require the use of several wizards and witches. Unlike shield spells, they have the benefit of being longer lasting and being able to be layered, one over the other. The wards here are some of the oldest and strongest, not to mention the rarity and number of them. Indeed, it rivals that of many magical institutions across the world. Their complexity makes their study quite laborious but the fruits of such labor are great. Wizarding families to the one employ wards and are constantly changing and improving them, even in times of relative peace."

Snape stopped and narrowed his eyes against the late morning sun. Harry watched him, marveling at how much he had to learn. Still looking into the sky, Snape spoke. "There is no one spell for good wards, rather a construct of the ward must be held in the minds of all casting it and held in detail while it is created. Its purpose must be fully understood, it's nature felt, before one can make it a reality." Snape looked back down at Harry. "You will appreciate how complicated that can be when more than one witch or wizard attempts to create a strong ward. Simpler wards can be constructed easily enough and there are defined spells for them. But just as easily, they can be breached. Still, no matter where you go, your first action should be to erect these wards. They give you time to make decisions and that can mean the difference between life and death."

Snape looked toward the gates, which stood directly before them, not ten meters away. Harry watched in confusion as Snape raised his arms and waved his hands in the air before him, a look of deep concentration on his face. After only a few seconds, his hands stilled and it looked like he was trying to grip the very air. He mumbled under his breath for a moment and then dropped his hands again and turned back to Harry.

"There are wards that encompass all of Hogwart's grounds. Many have been standing here since the school was founded. Others have been added with each new Headmaster or Headmistress. It lies within their purview to add or take down wards, but all the Heads of House may raise or strengthen them on his or her own as needed. If you are even capable of sensing the wards, you will immediately grasp how complex they are. There are many who have devoted several years of study to wards but that is not in our capabilities here. It will suffice for you to learn to recognize wards and their nature, and create small emergency wards. Even learning to strengthen wards that you have not created can take quite a long time, so we'll ignore that for now."

Harry nodded and then Snape gestured to the air around them. "Close your eyes and raise your hands Mr. Potter," he instructed and Harry did so at once. "What do you feel when you cast a spell? Think back on it. Do you feel a shock or a warm glow? That is how magic feels to you and that is what you are looking for now. All spells feel different and it matters who cast it as well. But that feeling in your hands when you cast a spell, that will be your guide to finding magical residue." Snape watched Harry wave his hands around quietly for a moment.

After several seconds of this, Harry sighed and dropped his arms. "I don't feel anything." Snape made a low sound in his throat then reached out and grabbed Harry's arm, bringing it back up. "Hold still Mr. Potter and listen to me carefully," he said. Harry nodded, eyes still closed. Snape reached forward and grabbed his hands between his own and then moved them further up, until Harry had to practically stand on his toes to reach.

"There is a chord just here Mr. Potter," Snape's voice came from right behind him. "Do you feel it? It is practically in your hands. It only waits on you to recognize it." Harry spread his fingers and then contracted them into a fist, thinking it was pointless. Then a shock of energy passed through his hands. He jumped back, eyes wide open and stumbled right into Snape, who let go and grunted. His head had smacked into Snape's jaw. Oops!

"I felt it!" Harry exclaimed. And then he turned around and his excitement left him as he saw Snape rubbing his jaw and looking quite displeased.

"What a thrill," Snape said in a very deadpan voice.

Harry cracked a smile then and turned back around, waving his hands around blindly in front of him. After a moment, he gripped a chord of energy and exclaimed again. "I've got it!"

Snape moved to his left side and crossed his arms. "Now hold it in your hands and your mind Potter, and then open your eyes."

Harry did so and what he saw took his breath away. There, before him, stretching in an arc over the castle behind him and plunging into the dirt below, were crisscrossing bands of energy, weaved together like a dense spider's web. "Woah!"

"Quite. Now pay attention," Snape said. And then he too raised his arms and took a strand into his hands. After a moment more, Harry's eyes widened.

"Something's happening. They feel stronger or something."

"So eloquent," Snape snorted. Then he dropped his hands and Harry followed suit. Immediately the wards disappeared from Harry's vision. "What you felt was me strengthening the wards, though they were in relatively good repair already. There are many more than just the ones you felt here."

Snape turned and started walking toward the forbidden forest. "There are two types of wards; personal and positional. Within these there are two subgroups; benign and malignant. Both serve good purposes and you will find both at Hogwarts. Benign wards are those that hide a place or person, disallow entrance and absorb outside spells. Care to guess, Mr. Potter, what malignant wards do?"

"Um, they zap intruders?" Harry asked.

Snape stopped and crossed his arms. He looked down at Harry over his nose as though he were an insignificant ant. "Oh, very well done Mr. Potter. Five years of magical training and essay writing and your best response is that malignant wards zap intruders." Snape uncrossed his arms and continued to walk, oblivious to Harry's red face or clenched fists. "At your age, Mr. Potter, you should be developing a larger vocabulary and more eloquent style. But then, after reading your essays, I am not surprised."

"Well then, what do they do?" Harry asked indignantly.

"Respect Potter!" Snape snapped. At the dark look on Snape's face, Harry shoved his hands in his pocket and muttered "Sorry Professor." It was still a little insolent but Snape ignored it.

Snape said nothing for several minutes. When he stopped walking, he reached up for another strand of the wards and muttered for a moment. Still holding the chord, he told Harry to take up a chord. Harry reached forward and felt for it. This time it didn't take a long time to find it. When he had it, he looked over to see Snape smirking at him. "You asked what malignant wards do Mr. Potter?"

Harry had only a second to fully appreciate his meaning before he felt a jolt in his hand and was thrown to his backside. He scowled and glared back up at Snape who was leaning over him, closer to laughing than Harry had ever seen him. "I should not have been harsh on you Potter. They can, in fact, zap."

Snape held his hand out but Harry just growled at it and pulled himself up. "Come Potter, you should know that experience teaches far better than any lecture," Snape said, smiling nastily. Then he turned and started walking back to the castle. Over his shoulder, he added, "Malignant wards, especially that last one, can do far more than ‘zap' intruders Mr. Potter. It can trap them, knock them unconscious, release toxins; in short, there is no end to the number of unpleasant things they can do if one is clever and powerful enough to create it. But the more damaging, the more difficult and illegal the ward becomes. You'll find many of these wards in very old ancestral homes and they are so powerful that only the sacrifice of blood could have created them."

Harry swallowed, trying to think what Snape meant by sacrifice. They walked in silence back to the castle. The shock hadn't really hurt, it had just surprised him, but still, he rubbed the place where it had hit him. Snape was right, experience was the best teacher. He wondered briefly how much of what Snape had learned had been by experience.

When they got back into the castle, Snape moved toward the dungeons and Harry started following. Just as they got to the top of the steps, Snape stopped and turned around. "Go do something constructive Potter. Lunch will be delayed by an hour today." Then without another word, he disappeared down the steps.

"Right," Harry mumbled to himself as he turned around to walk back outside. It was a nice day after all. When he slipped out the doors, he saw a figure hurrying up the path and fingered the mirror and his wand. Was someone here expecting company? He had his answer right away though as the man came closer and Harry recognized him as Remus Lupin.

"Remus!" Harry called as he set off down the path to intercept the man, who was walking fast. "How are you? What are you doing here?" he asked, as he got closer.

Remus smiled and waved back. When they got closer, Remus laid a hand on his shoulder. "You're feeling well then? I was surprised when the Headmaster told me you were already out of the hospital."

"Oh, it wasn't really bad. Just a few broken ribs."

"And a broken ankle from what I heard," Remus said with a frown.

Harry shrugged. "It's all better now. What are you doing here though? Not that I'm not happy to see you!" he rushed on. "I just hope nothing's wrong."

Remus laughed. "No Harry, nothing's wrong. I was just coming to see the Headmaster and Severus."

"Oh, well Snape's in the dungeons. I haven't seen the Headmaster."

Remus frowned again. "Harry, is Severus..." he stopped and seemed to think better of what he was going to say. Instead he asked, "How are you and Professor Snape getting along?"

Harry shrugged again. "Well enough I guess. He showed me the wards today."

Remus nodded and then took a deep breath. "Harry, a lot of the Order offered to take you in for the summer. I don't want you to think that we didn't want you. I offered straight away. And Molly, well she threw a fit, especially after Severus arrived and told her that you were staying with him."

"Oh...oh, well. That's all right. Thanks Remus."

Remus put his arm around Harry's shoulder and they walked back up to the castle. After a moment, Remus chuckled and looked down at Harry. "I've rarely seen Molly so angry and Severus so irritable. Well, perhaps I've seen Severus that irritable before," he said with a smile.

"Huh," Harry answered with a slight smile. Yes, it made sense that Professor Snape would be irritable. He probably didn't want Harry to be here with him ruining his summer breaks. Remus kept talking and it took Harry a minute to absorb what he was saying.

"He refused point blank to give up responsibility of you, even when it looked like the Headmaster might be willing to reconsider. He shot down everyone's offer for some reason or other and then, when Molly still insisted, he challenged her wards."

"Oh...oh! That couldn't have gone well."

Remus laughed outright then. "She took him up on it of course. We went straight to the Weasley's and waited inside. It only took him ten minutes to bring the wards down. Needless to say, Molly and Arthur and the rest of the Order have been busy beefing up their security."

Harry just shook his head. So Snape had refused to let anyone else watch over him. His initial reaction of anger was immediately replaced by something far more pleasant. Snape probably didn't like him still, but he at least cared enough to fight even the Order for his safety. While he would have liked to be in on the decision, he had to admit that he felt a lot better knowing that he was safe. He had had enough close calls in the last month and just wanted to relax.

But when did all this happen? "Wait! When did this happen?"

"Oh, yesterday afternoon. Severus told us you were still recovering in the hospital wing." So that meant that there had been an Order meeting right after he had talked to the Headmaster and before Snape had retrieved him from beside the lake. Snape was certainly a busy man.

Before they reached the castle, Remus stopped and looked at Harry seriously. "Harry, Severus is a good man. A brave, good man, but he can be very harsh. I'm sure he'll treat you just fine. But I just want you to know that I'm here for you. If you ever need to talk to me or something happens, you know you can come to me right?"

"Of course Remus," Harry answered, although he was confused by what Remus could mean. Did he think Snape was going to beat him or something? Remus just looked relieved and dropped the subject.

"I'll just run along and find the Headmaster. When I'm done, I'll be stopping by Severus' rooms. The full moon and all..." he trailed off.

"Is he making the Wolfsbane then?" Harry asked.

"Yes, though I can't imagine he's had time for it. It takes several hours to brew. I'll just stop in and see when I can pick it up. I still have a few days yet."

They parted ways at the stairs and Harry walked back down to the dungeons. He still had a good half hour before lunch, but he didn't know what he could do in that short time, so he made his way to his room and rearranged everything. Stepping back, something occurred to him as he looked at his stuff on the bookshelf and desk. This was the first time that he had ever been allowed to put his stuff out in his own room. Even in Gryffindor tower, he had kept his stuff in his trunk. It was strange that in this place, he would feel like he had his own personal home for the first time ever.