Harry woke up the next morning with only five minutes to go until breakfast. Breathing a sigh of relief (he didn't fancy finding out what Snape thought of as an unpleasant way to be woken up), he grabbed a stack of Dudley's old clothes and ran for the bathroom. After a two-minute shower, he jumped out, got dressed and made his way to the table. Snape was already sitting there with a breakfast of eggs, toast and orange juice on the table. Unlike with the Weasleys, meals were simple affairs with Snape.

"Good morning," Harry said as he sat down before his plate. Snape just nodded. After a few minutes though, Snape looked back up and gave Harry a once over.

"What is that you're wearing Potter?"

Harry looked down and he knew his face was turning red. "My clothes sir."

"And where did you get these clothes? This is not some new fashion." It wasn't a question and Harry reminded himself that it was likely, based on Snape's memories, that his father had been a muggle. He probably knew a lot about how muggles lived.

"They were my cousins, sir."

One of Snape's eyebrows rose, but he said nothing and after a moment, went back to eating.

After a few minutes of eating in silence, Harry began to think up ways to ask Snape what the meeting with the Headmaster last night had been about, but he couldn't think of any to phrase it that wouldn't end in Snape telling him to mind his own business.

He was surprised then, when Snape himself brought the subject up.

"Potter, the matter that the Headmaster discussed with me last night will mean I must leave for the day."

"What was it about?" Harry asked quickly. Maybe Snape would answer.

And surprisingly, he did. "One month ago, a former student of mine, and his family, declared themselves against the Dark Lord. Last week, his father, Mr. Sanasta, ran into a death eater and they dueled. Both escaped unharmed but this incident brought his family to the attention of the death eaters. Their home was attacked yesterday."

He said the next part quickly. "Their youngest son, who had not even started school yet, was caught in the cross fire and killed."

Snape paused for a moment, and although his face did not betray anything but indifference, there was something about the pause that gave Harry the impression that Snape had known this family and might even be affected by this child's death.

"I'll be meeting with the Sanasta family this morning to offer condolences and assist in rebuilding their wards."

It was only then that Harry noticed that while Snape was still wearing black, it was of a nicer quality than his everyday wear. The buttons gleamed just a little brighter and the cut was just a little more formal. He looked all set for a funeral.

"The Headmaster will be out most of the day but arrangements have been made for Lupin and Moody to remain in the castle until my return."

"I'm sorry sir. About the boy," Harry said and meant it. He didn't really know what else there was to say.

Snape only nodded and stood up. "I'll be meeting Lupin and Moody at the gates in..." here he stopped to look at his pocket watch, "in ten minutes. If you wish to accompany me, I suggest you finish your meal and get your shoes on."

"Ok," Harry said as he shoveled the rest of his eggs into his mouth. When he had finished getting his trainers on, Snape was standing at the door waiting for him. They left straight away and Snape didn't speak again until they made it to the entrance hall.

"I've reset the wards on our quarters so that only you and the Headmaster may enter it. I had had them set so that others could enter with an invitation from one of us, but I do not want Moody in my rooms when I am not here. Understood?"

"Yes sir. What about Remus?"

"It would be rude to allow one and not the other, don't you think Mr. Potter?"

Harry could tell by his look and tone that he didn't want Lupin in there either but he supposed he understood. "So, I'm to stay out for the day?" he asked.

Snape's eyebrow rose. "You may come and go as you like Potter. Only take care not to invite any but the Headmaster into the rooms. And Potter?" Snape stopped to look him in the eye.

"Yeah?"

"This should not be an issue," Snape began in a tone that clearly stated that if it was, someone was going to be very sorry. "But just in case, no matter what any one tells you to do, do not leave Hogwart's grounds or enter the Forbidden Forest."

"What if it's the Headmaster?"

Snape cocked his head and resumed walking. "Albus would not remove you from the castle without informing me unless it was an emergency and then he would ask you to use your portkey. That," he stressed, "is the only safe way to leave. Got it?"

"Got it." Although he did wonder how much danger he was really in.

By now, they were approaching the gates and Harry could see two figures standing just outside, waiting to be let in. When Snape was within hailing distance, he called out to them, his wand pointing between the two of them the entire time.

"Who are you?" Snape called out.

Harry looked at Snape in confusion as he tossed out a blue spell that settled around Remus and MadEye in a sort of mist. They didn't seem surprised by it though.

"I am Remus John Lupin, a member of the Order of the Phoenix and I had pheasant with orange sauce last night for dinner," Remus called back.

"Moody. Ex-auror, member of the Order and I can't stand the sight of your face Snape," Moody called back.

Harry's eyes widened and he shot a look up to Snape's face to see if Snape was preparing to kill him. Snape was smirking nastily, but he didn't look homicidal. He flicked his wand and the blue mist disappeared and the gates swung open.

"I can't say I like your face either MadEye, at least the parts that aren't missing."

Moody grunted in response and limped his way, beside Remus, to where Harry and Snape stood. When they were close enough to speak to, Snape said, "You've gotten a tan MadEye. Making up for your time in the bottom of a trunk?"

"I seem to recall you did a lot of the same after they let you out of Azkaban Snape."

"There was a lot of work to catch up on. I did have to reset the wards around my house after all. You remember those wards, don't you Moody?"

"Oh aye. And I think there are still a few in the auror office that would like to...talk to you about them."

"They know where to find me," Snape said, gesturing to the castle behind him. His words came out like a challenge.

It was then that Remus cleared his throat and broke up the pissing contest. "You must be in a hurry to leave Severus. Please extend my condolences to the Sanasta family will you?"

The nasty smile on Snape's face disappeared as if it had been slapped off and was replaced by an absolutely blank look. "I'll do that," he said stiffly.

"Sad business that," Moody said. "Burying a son that young."

"Yes," Snape said gruffly. "If you'll excuse me," and he took off down the slope and left through the gates. The others watched until he Disapparated.

When he was gone, they started walking back toward the castle. "I feel sorry for Severus. I get the impression that he takes the death of any of his Slytherin families personally," Remus said with a sad shake of his head.

"What gives you that impression?" Moody asked. Harry tuned in, wondering the same thing.

"Well, mostly it's just what Albus told me after Severus left last night. But can't you tell? He always has something to say on every subject, but mention a Slytherin that's died and he just comes out with one liners."

"Tight knit little buggers, the lot of them. Least these days," Moody said with a scowl.

They had made it back to the castle by now and were just passing the door to the Great Hall. "Um, did you two want to get something to eat? I bet the kitchen elves wouldn't mind if we nipped down there," Harry said. He didn't know if he was supposed to be playing host or not.

"Sounds like a great idea Harry," Remus said. But Moody had other ideas.

"I hear you're staying with Snape, Potter." Harry nodded. "Can't imagine that would be fun."

"Um, it's all right so far," Harry answered, feeling uncomfortable by where he thought Moody was going with this.

"Well, why don't we nip down there instead and have a spot of tea. I wouldn't mind seeing how Snape's got himself set up now."

Harry knew his face was flushed. What was he supposed to do, come up with a lie? Harry felt a little anger at Snape for putting him in this position. Why should he be the one making up excuses when Snape was the one that didn't want them in?

But Harry's frustration disappeared in a moment of insight about Snape. Snape probably didn't give a damn whether the other two knew why they weren't invited in. He probably thought Harry would just tell them the truth and leave it at that. It seemed like a Snape thing to do.

"Well about that. You see, Professor Snape's reset the wards so you two can't go in there even if I invite you. Um...sorry about that."

But neither man looked surprised. "Reset his wards you say?" Moody said. "Bet he's got a nasty little surprise for us if we do try too. I've heard of his wards."

"You don't say?" Remus asked with a chuckle, already moving off down the hall toward the kitchens.

"What did you hear about Snape's wards?" Harry asked. Snape had taunted Moody with them earlier and Harry was curious what Snape could have done.

"Ah that. You knew Snape was in Azkaban I hope? ‘Cause if you didn't, I reckon you know now." Moody had the decency to look chagrined by his slip earlier.

"Alastor," Remus began in a chiding voice, but Harry interrupted him.

"Yeah, I'd heard. But what about his wards?"

"He set some pretty nasty ones around his house when he got out of Azkaban. He knew aurors would be checking up on him for a few months you see."

"Alastor!" Remus admonished. "You'll give him ideas if you leave it like that." Then he turned his head to speak to Harry. "Look Harry, they weren't vicious. Just a few pranks is all."

"Nasty pranks if you ask me," Moody muttered, but Remus ignored him.

"What kind of pranks then?" Harry asked.

"Oh let's see. One auror got transported to a swamp."

"Three meters above the swamp you mean. Came back smelling ripe, he did," Moody interjected.

"Then of course there was that Terence guy."

"Timmons," Moody interrupted.

"Oh right, Timmons," Remus continued. "How long did he have those boils on the end of his nose?"

"Three days. Wouldn't stop whining the entire time. Tried to get a warrant for Snape's arrest right after that." Despite what Moody had said about the pranks being nasty, both he and Remus were chuckling now. Harry couldn't help grinning either.

"My favorite," Moody said, getting into the tale, "was Blackley. You remember Amanda Blackley?" he asked Remus.

"Didn't she move to Tahiti a few years back?"

"Some place like that. Now that one Potter, she was a real piece of work. Little know-it-all. You couldn't walk into a room without her reciting some law or other at you."

"What did Snape do to her?" Harry asked.

Remus and Moody burst out laughing and Harry bristled, dying to know what had happened. "What? What'd he do?"

"Nothing!" Moody exclaimed. "Absolutely nothing." The two of them burst out in another round of laughter.

"I don't get it," Harry said, looking back and forth between the two of them.

"He didn't do anything to her Harry," Remus said with a chuckle. "But she was so paranoid that he did, she called off work for two months and didn't come out of her apartment, even when everyone assured her she was jinx free."

"That was the most peaceful two months we had in that office," Moody said nostalgically. "Reckon there were a few aurors that would have shaken Snape's hand for that one. Especially that Joel fellow. She had a crush on him and he couldn't get her to leave him alone, see?"

Harry laughed until his sides hurt. "Those don't sound that nasty," he said when he got his breath back.

Moody shrugged. "Most of ‘em were just shocks. You had to stand outside his house yelling for a good five minutes before he'd deign to come let you in. He was a rotten parolee."

The conversation turned to more mundane matters until they reached the kitchens.

The house elves were more than happy to serve them everything their hearts desired. It wasn't long before they were stuffed. Afterwards, they sat outside for several hours, talking about anything that came to mind. Moody amused Harry with tales of the auror service for quite a long time and Remus even told him some funny stories from when he had been in school with Harry's father. He left out any story that contained Snape in it for some reason though. Harry didn't mind. Remus was one of the few people that included his mother in his stories from time to time.

Harry managed to find out what the blue mist Snape had cast on them had been; a precursor to a binding spell. If Snape had decided to really bind them based on their answers, it would have been nearly impossible to block with the mist surrounding them.

"Cool," Harry exclaimed of that spell.

As the day wore on and afternoon approached, the Headmaster found them all sitting by the lake. "Good evening!" he called cheerily.

They returned his greeting and it wasn't long before they found themselves in the Great Hall, stuffing themselves again. Harry was beginning to wonder when Snape was due back though. It was already late in the afternoon. Before dessert, he leaned toward the Headmaster and voiced his concerns.

"Severus should be along any moment now Harry. I know he wanted to stay for the funeral and Mr. and Mrs. Sanasta were happy to have his help with their wards this morning."

"Is he an expert on wards then sir?" Harry asked. It was starting to sound like it at any rate.

"He's not an expert, no. He has had lots of practice though, being of a rather paranoid nature. But no, he's no expert on wards. I have to say though, he is very creative with them, to be sure," the Headmaster said with a knowing smile. Harry wondered if he knew about all those aurors Snape had pranked. "The Sanasta's called a few of their friends and family together to create stronger wards. The more the merrier they say!" Albus explained of his being asked to help.

It wasn't until halfway through dessert that Snape returned.

"Severus!" Albus said jovially. "Come sit and eat. The elves would be more than happy to bring something up for you, I'm sure."

"Thank you Headmaster but that won't be necessary. Mrs. Sanasta and her sisters were kind enough to provide dinner for all of the guests."

"And how are they Severus?" the Headmaster asked in a decidedly more sober tone.

Harry watched Snape carefully. He was determined to find proof of grief in Snape's features. The man might be a good actor, but surely, if he were upset, he would let something slip. And there it was. He swallowed deeply before answering. It was hardly noticeably, but Harry saw his Adam's apple bob just before he spoke. There was more too. Harry noticed that his eyes were slightly more hooded than usual and his voice, when he spoke, was low and contained not an ounce of his usual venom or energy.

"They are as well as they can be Headmaster. Their son, their only son now, is taking it a little harder than the rest. Samuel used to follow Nathan around everywhere on the holidays."

It seemed uncharacteristic that Snape would mention that, or even remember such an insignificant little bit of trivia from someone else's life, but there it was.

Dumbledore nodded sadly while Remus stared at his plate of dessert. No doubt, just like Harry, his appetite was ruined by the thought of an eight year old dying. Moody stopped eating but said nothing at all. He just sat back quietly and watched Snape with a frown on his face.

"If there was nothing else?" Snape asked the Headmaster.

"Just, how did the warding go?"

"Very well. I believe they'll be safe there, though I don't know how long they'll stay in that house. Frances was beside herself with grief at walking by Samuel's rooms everyday."

"Do let us know if there's anything we can do to help them Severus," Albus said.

"Thank you Headmaster." Snape bowed slightly and then finally looked at Harry for the first time that night for just an instant but said nothing. He ignored the other two occupants as he turned on his heel and made his way out of the Great Hall.

The rest of the dessert passed with everyone in a much more subdued mood. Even the Headmaster left a few bites of his lemon pie on the plate. When the conversation lagged and even the Headmaster seemed unable to lift the mood, Remus and Moody said goodnight and took their leave.

Harry walked to the dungeons in a pensive mood. It seemed so unfair that such a young kid should get caught up in all of this. Hit in the crossfire, that's what Snape had called it. But Harry couldn't see it as anything other than murder. What else was it called when a family's home was attacked while the children were still in it? He didn't even know the family but his heart went out to them. How much longer could this war last? How many more would die before it was all said and done?

Harry couldn't help but think back to the prophecy he had heard a month ago. Not a day went by really, where he didn't think about it at least once. What was he supposed to do? Sure, he had done some neat things and lived to tell the tale. But none of that would help him defeat Voldemort. And what if he couldn't be defeated? What if he really was immortal just like he had said in that graveyard?

Harry shuddered. He didn't want to think about that right now. He never wanted to think about that actually, but he knew someday he would have to. Pushing the thoughts of Voldemort from his mind, he latched onto the next topic that was occupying his mind; Snape's mood. Would he be worse now because of all of this?

But when he got to the rooms, Snape wasn't there. Harry knocked on his bedroom door but there was no answer. He didn't think Snape would ignore his knock, even if he were in a bad mood. Not knowing what to do and having several hours until dinner, he sat down at the table with the books that Snape had written and read a few more chapters.

Two hours later, Snape still wasn't back and Harry was finding it harder and harder to concentrate. Snape was probably in his potions lab as usual, or working on something in the library. It was probably nothing. There was no reason, no reason at all, to think that Snape was overly upset. And even if he was, there was certainly no reason to think that Snape would want or need anyone to be there with him. And, most importantly, Harry was the last person that should do so. What did he care if Snape was upset about something? It wasn't like they were friends. Snape was just watching over him this summer because no one else could do it.

Right. But, even as the thought crossed his mind, he recognized it for the lie it was. Snape was keeping him here and keeping him safe because, for some reason that Harry didn't understand, Snape wanted to.

Harry went back to reading the text and even got into it. Snape's book was good. Actually, it was great, Harry thought. He'd love to show this to the DA. Snape's book should be on the syllabus. Some of it was pretty racy, compared to the defense books out there now. But it gave a pretty good idea of what the enemy was up to. It wasn't like it was teaching dark spells or anything. It just explained what they could do and what to listen and watch for. Harry had even seen some of the stuff described in there being used by actual death eaters.

Hell, Snape should teach DADA!

Harry groaned. He had managed to get through two more chapters, although the going had been slow, when he realized that he was staring at the same page and thinking about Snape again. What a way to spend an evening. He wasn't worried about Snape per se. He was just very curious about what he could be up to.

Harry's head snapped up as he remembered that he had the marauder's map tucked away under his bed. He ran to his bedroom door with a smile on his face. That map was one of the best things he owned. Silently thanking the Weasley twins, he pulled it out from under his bed and unrolled it.

"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." His grin grew a little bigger.

He had to scan the map for two full minutes before he found the dot labeled Severus Snape. When he saw it, he smacked himself on the head. He hadn't expected Snape to be in the dungeons anywhere. If anything, he had expected to see him moving around on the grounds. Instead, Snape was in a room several corridors away from their own, but on the same level. And the room was huge.

It had no label on it like most of the rooms did. Of course, that wasn't so rare in the dungeons, Harry noted as he scanned the rest of the sublevel maps. Maybe the map didn't give a name to rooms that were unused? But what was Snape doing in that room?

At first, Harry had thought he was pacing, but when he looked closer, the dot almost made it look like Snape was dancing around the room. Well that was just ridiculous. Harry watched it for a few more minutes. In that time, Snape had only stopped once, and only then for a few seconds. Maybe Snape wasn't ok. Maybe he had lost his mind.

Harry was walking for the door before he had even consciously made the decision to go and see what Snape was doing. He entertained the notion that he might get in trouble for this for all of a few seconds. But Snape had said he could go anywhere in the castle. And it wasn't curfew yet. He couldn't get that mad could he?

Of course this was Snape. Harry shrugged, decision already made and walked down the hall to find him. Besides, if he was honest with himself, he was worried about Snape. But only a little.

The trip wasn't long and in no time he was standing outside the door Snape was behind. Should he knock? He was reaching up to do just that, trying to think of what he'd say when Snape opened the door, when he heard a crash and the door shook. His hand stilled inches from the door and he sucked in a breath. His eyes darted to the map in his hand and sure enough, Snape was alone behind that door. Still...

Harry pocketed the map and slipped his wand into his hand. This time, he reached for the door a little more gingerly, as if afraid it would slam open and hit him. He grabbed hold of the doorknob and it clicked and turned. That was surprising. Cracking the door open just a bit, careful to keep his wand out in front, he peered around the doorjamb.

And just about dropped his wand in shock.

Snape was wearing nothing but a white cotton undershirt, his pants and his boots and his hair was pulled back to the nape of his neck. That was strange enough for a man that hardly ever went out of his bedroom without covering himself from neck to ankle. But Harry hardly even noticed what Snape was wearing.

Snape stood, or rather moved around, in the middle of the large room under a vaulted ceiling. Around him stood an array of dummies, each one spinning and zigzagging across the room. Snape seemed to dance in the center, firing off curse after curse at the dummies. Each time he hit a dummy, it was disabled for several seconds, then seemed to reset itself and join the fray. In the midst of these dummies were three or four red painted dummies. These moved slower but were almost always behind the other dummies that seemed to move in a protective formation around them. The red dummies occasionally shot bright sparks of red towards Snape, but he managed to dodge them all as Harry watched.

So that was why Snape had seemed to dance across the room. He was dodging the red streaks and running through the moving dummies, attempting to get shots off at the red ones. And then Harry noticed the red dummies that were already littering the floor. There must have been a good six or seven of them lying around in various states of disarray. One had a hole blown clean through it while another was reduced to a charred husk.

The door slipped open further and further as Harry's grip loosened on it. He didn't even notice when the door finally opened all the way and he was just standing in the doorway, in plain sight. But he did notice when Snape caught sight of him.

It was something to catch Snape off guard. His eyes widened slightly and he stopped moving completely. A breath later, Harry cringed as one of the red spells connected with Snape's chest and sent him back a few meters.

He didn't fall though. With teeth bared, he turned on the dummy that had hit him and blasted right through the white dummies protecting it. They smoked as they were thrown away from the path of his spell. Then with a snarl and a flick of his wrist, the red dummy blew up right in its spot and fell to the floor with a dull thud.

Snape snapped his wand a few more times and then did some complicated motion with it and the dummies stilled and then dropped to the floor softly. Then he turned in his spot and stared at Harry.

And said absolutely nothing.