Harry wasn't sure whether he should be happy or upset that he was alone. On the one hand, being alone didn't feel safe. Intellectually, he knew that there was nothing in the room to harm him; despite Snape's antagonistic nature and adamant dislike of Harry during the school year, Harry had felt nothing but comfort and peace from him since the rescue. Snape would not leave him alone if he wasn't sure Harry would be safe. Knowing this, however, and feeling it were two different things. Harry didn't feel safe without his protector. And in Snape's absence, old insecurities returned.

Snape didn't like Harry. For the first five years that he taught him, the professor had treated him with hatred and disdain. Harry, for his part, had responded in like hatred, feeling no remorse at the occasional theft of his supplies or his complete lack of interest in potions in general. This mutual hatred grew every year and eventually culminated into the disaster that was occlumency lessons during his fifth year. Harry's curiosity and general dislike led to his inexcusable invasion of the professor's pensieve, and finally a lack of trust led to Harry's mission to the Department of Mysteries. The place where Sirius died. The place where Voldemort was defeated, not by skill but by love. In point of fact, if Harry had been able to occlude Voldemort, the dark lord would probably still be alive today. But after Dumbledore managed to kill his current body and Harry was chosen as the next host, Harry's love for his godfather destroyed Voldemort's remaining ties to life, driving him out of Harry's body and out of existence.

With the dark lord destroyed, Snape played his role as a deatheater only long enough to help round them up. Unfortunately, quite a few managed to escape into hiding. Harry's sixth year had left him confused when it came to the professor. Ever since the pensieve incident, not to mention Snape's continuing tendency to save his life, Harry didn't know how he felt about him. He felt guilty about invading his privacy, and about not trusting him. If he had only trusted him, Sirius would be alive. As for Snape, his attitude towards Harry remained cold. The professor was finally given the position of Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher and had turned out to be surprisingly good at it. He was also more fair, no longer favouring Slytherins to the degree he had before. He did not, however, have a complete personality change. And his hatred for James Potter remained.

Therefore, it is understandable that once Harry was away from the comfort the panther projected, he would begin to have doubts. He knew that Snape hated him. Perhaps not with the same ferocity as Harry's relatives but with equal disdain. Was Snape only pretending to like him now? Was he just enduring him until he was able to foist him off on these 'others' he had mentioned? Harry began to tremble. Before, the mention of others was reassuring. Harry wasn't alone. He wasn't a freak. But now, the idea of being left with strangers, to be thrust out from the one safe place he had found, it was unbearable.

Fear, not curiosity, made Harry pull himself up and begin to search for a way off the bed. Even the twinge from his shoulder didn't hold him back. He had to get down and find Snape. With only half formed plans in mind, he leapt over the edge of the bed in what he hoped would be a graceful leap. It ended in a tumble and more pain in his shoulder but he was soon standing again. Luckily, against all expectations the floor was carpeted.

Harry limped anxiously towards the door, desperate to find that sanctuary from before. Mewling pitiably, even to his own ears, he forgot for a moment his size in relation to the doorknob until he came to a crashing halt before solid wood. Even as he began pawing at the door, ignoring the throbbing in his shoulder, he knew that he was being ridiculous. He was seventeen, and seventeen year olds did not go into a panic attack when left to themselves. They did not cry at the possibility that someone they didn't even particularly like might not want them. And they most certainly weren't afraid of empty rooms that were obviously devoid of monsters of any sort. Yet Harry couldn't stop trembling, couldn't stop gasping for breath between pathetic mewls, couldn't even stop his persistent clawing at the unmoving door, despite the growing pain in his left side.

And then, at last, the door pushed gently open, the person on the other side either aware of Harry's location before the door or hesitant to enter. Even with the slow movement, Harry was still too out of it to back away and instead tumbled backwards as the door finally admitted a man in billowing black robes into the room. Arms encircled Harry, carrying with them the familiar scent that meant safety and warmth. Snape had returned.

“Stupid boy,” the man mumbled, but his words held no malice and the feeling of calm failed to morph into the dreaded disdain. In the part of his mind that wasn't trembling in relief, Harry wondered if Snape was being different because Harry was a sphinx or if he had always been this way but Harry hadn't the senses to realize it. Never before had Harry felt another's emotions or presence so acutely.

As the panic faded, the pain started to amplify. Harry didn't even begin to protest when the bottle was offered to him, nipple attached. When he was more himself, he was sure to be mortified, but for the moment he allowed himself to be held, wrapped in soft black cloth and soothing emotions while being fed something sweet and warm and calming. Slowly, the pain faded to a dull ache. He felt Snape inspecting the wound but managed not to twitch away. When Harry was finally settled comfortably and pain-free in Snape's lap, long fingers slowly gliding across his back, the last of his earlier panic evaporated.

“Feeling better, Harry?” his teacher asked. Harry looked up at him, comfortable but still wary.

“I know you must find this strange,” the professor continued, “And I'm sure you have many questions. I would first like to assure you that you are in no danger within this room. Even in my absence this room is well warded.” Harry nodded his understanding.

“As for why I was gone...I went to meet with our pride. I'm sorry you woke up alone. I didn't think you would wake up for another half hour at least, and had I known I would have come back sooner. It is normal for newly formed sphinxes to remain among the pride or at their...mentor's side until they have acclimated to the change. The onslaught of new senses coupled with the unexpected return to youth are enough to overwhelm anyone. Over time, you will learn to filter your senses and eventually even be able to speak within panther form.”

Harry looked up at him curiously over the last bit. As for the rest, he squirmed inwardly with embarrassment. No matter what Snape said about normal, Harry knew he had acted like a baby. But the possibility of actually speaking finally distracted him from his discomfort.

“You already project some,” Snape continued, noting the cub's interest, “emotions and images mostly, but nothing controlled or specific. You must learn control before you can learn to communicate effectively, and not broadcast your every thought at wide range.” This sounded so much like the old professor Snape in his occlumency lessons that Harry couldn't help but make a face. Snape surprised him by laughing at that. Albeit, it was a very refined and soft laugh, but genuine nonetheless. Then Snape grew serious once more.

“I have also contacted Dumbledore. He has, of course, been aware that you went missing from your...relatives,” the sneer in his voice implied he wanted to call them something else, probably something Harry was too young at the moment to hear, “And he was growing rather frantic before I talked to him. Apparently, you sent him a letter that had him worried even before you disappeared. He wished to see you but I'm afraid I had to decline.” Harry looked up at him befuddled. Was he being kidnapped because he turned into a cat? Why couldn't he see Dumbledore? Snape chuckled softly again and Harry felt himself relaxing in spite of himself.

“It is too soon for other humans to interfere. You will see him soon, hopefully at the opening feast, if you are deemed ready. If not, a bit later. You will not miss your seventh year. But for now, until you learn some control, it is best if you are only around other pride members. There are two hundred and thirty-six of us in all who claim membership to the panther pride, but you will only be meeting my personal clan for now. Are you ready to meet them?”

Harry must have managed to project some of his worried because as he looked up anxiously, Snape answered him. “I will not be leaving you alone with them; as I said I am part of the clan. Soon, you will be too. We will not be parted.” Then another worry of Harry's surfaced. In fact, this had been growing for some time but he only just became aware of it. How was he supposed to use the toilet? Snape smirked down at him, an expression that had always annoyed him before, but coupled with gentle amusement it somehow seemed kinder than before. Without a word, Snape carried him into a small wash room where a box of sand was set up in the corner. Snape set him down on the sand. Harry stared back at him with anything but amusement.

“There's a waste vanishing charm on it,” he said, “It's completely sanitary.” At Harry's huff, he shrugged slightly, still with that amused smirk on his face, and said, “I'll be waiting outside.” Then he left. It took Harry nearly five minutes to convince himself to try it out. He felt entirely too self conscious, not to mention that the part of his anatomy that he was required to use was completely unfamiliar. It also reminded him that he had, basically, been sitting naked in Snape's lap. No matter how natural it had felt, even having seen Snape in panther form without clothes, it still made him feel embarrassed. Finally, he crouched over the sand and let nature take its course. Luckily, he didn't have to face the results as the vanishing charm worked perfectly.

It took another five minutes to work through his anxieties and his embarrassment and come out of the wash room. The moment he appeared, Snape picked him up again, mumbling something about his wound. Together they left the room behind. It was time to meet the clan.