If asked later, Harry could not have told anyone how he had got into the Gryffindor common room. He was so absorbed in his thoughts that he walked merely automatically. Passing through the portrait of the Fat Lady, he noted at once that Hermione and Ron had returned from Hogsmeade and were waiting for him in a corner. He wasn't sure whether he wanted to talk to them or not, but there seemed to be no way out of it anyway, so he walked over to meet them.

‘How did it go, mate?' Ron asked uncertainly.

Harry merely shrugged.

‘Oh, Harry, you look as pale as a ghost!' Hermione exclaimed, but hastily lowered her voice to an urgent whisper. ‘What on earth did Dumbledore do to you?'

Harry sighed, not knowing what to say. Resolutely, Hermione stood up. ‘Come on, let's go for a walk around the lake and you can tell us then.'

It was a warm and sunny day outside, and while they were walking Harry drew a deep breath. His friends were watching him anxiously but without urging him to speak. Harry suddenly felt a profound rush of gratitude that he had them at his side, always willing to share his troubles. What would he do without them? They were true friends. Dumbledore's words rang inside his head: As a spy you must be friendless. He shuddered internally. Didn't Snape ever feel the need to talk to a trusted friend?

‘Thanks', he blurted out. At their bewildered looks he explained, ‘For being here. For returning early from Hogsmeade. Well... for everything.'

Ron and Hermione looked a little embarassed at first, then Ron spoke. ‘Really, mate, what did Dumbledore do?'

Harry wondered how many days had passed since the three of them had been walking along this same place and he told them what had happened in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. Walking made talking easier for him but he still struggled for the best way to begin. ‘He didn't do anything, really, just talked. But that was bad enough. You know, when I was with Snape, I got in a row with him, and when I thought that Snape would attack me, I drew my wand on him. Dumbledore wasn't too impressed.'

‘I bet he wasn't,' Ron whistled. ‘I'm surprised that Snape just threw you out of his office.'

‘Actually, he wanted to give me the cane,' Harry admitted, ‘but I didn't let him. And Dumbledore believed me when I said I just wanted to defend myself and that given my history it was understandable. He was more pissed off with my shouting at Snape, really.'

‘What was your row with Snape about?' Hermione asked softly.

Harry looked at her and decided he wouldn't hide it from her anymore; she deserved the truth. He gave them a detailed report on what had happened between him and Snape, only leaving out the bit concerning how he had watched Snape's memory.

‘Bloody Hell!' If anything, Ron sounded impressed. ‘No wonder Snape got mad! Still, what you said was true, wasn't it? I can see how Dumbledore would have to tell you off for disrespect, but I wouldn't have thought he'd be so hard on you.'

Harry sighed. He didn't feel up to repeating Dumbledore's lecture to his friends; it had been painful enough listening to it.

‘Oh, Harry.' Hermione struggled for words. ‘I really appreciate that you tried to defend me, but be careful with Snape! And why did you think Snape would call me a Mudblood? In all these years, he's called me many things but not that. After all, he's in the Order!' She hesitated a moment before she asked, ‘Was this what made Snape so mad? That you assumed he would use that word on his students?'

Harry swallowed. ‘There's something I never told you,' he muttered. ‘Remember last year, when Snape suddenly stopped giving me Occlumency lessons?'

Both friends nodded silently.

‘Well, I didn't tell you the truth back then,' Harry admitted, staring at the floor. ‘He didn't stop because he thought I got the hang of it. He stopped because he threw me out of his office and said he never wanted to see me there ever again.'

‘Why?' Hermione whispered, looking at him wide-eyed.

‘He had borrowed Dumbledore's pensieve for the lessons and stored some of his memories there before each lesson, in case I managed to break into his mind. Well, on that last lesson, he had to leave the office urgently and I ... didn't leave straight away.... and I peeked.'

Harry felt himself blush. He felt so ashamed of what he had done, much more than the year before when the feeling of shame at his own actions had been masked by loathing for what his father had done. He raised his gaze and looked at his staring friends. ‘Snape came back earlier than I had thought ... and he caught me inside his memory,' he added softly.

‘Oh, Harry', Hermione said softly. Harry couldn't help the thought that every other sentence out of Hermione's mouth started with "Oh, Harry."

He was glad that Ron distracted her as he asked,'So what did Snape do to you?'

‘He was livid,' Harry told him, shuddering at the memory of the man's eyes. ‘But he didn't do anything to me, not really.' Should he tell them how Snape had yanked him out of the pensieve and pushed him to the floor, how he had thrown a glass jar at him? No, he decided, that's between Snape and me.

The look that Ron shot him clearly showed that he wasn't so easily fooled, but he didn't press the point. Instead he asked curiously, ‘If Snape had stowed it away, it must have been something he really didn't want you to see. Was it very bad?'

‘Yeah,' Harry muttered, then added in a firmer voice., ‘but I can't tell you about it. I promised Snape I wouldn't tell anybody, and I mean, I shouldn't have looked in the first place.'

‘Well, I think I'd have probably looked, too,' Ron admitted, making Harry feel slightly better.

Hermione frowned. ‘This is certainly interesting, but what does it have to do with what happened today?'

‘During my row with Snape I used what I had seen in his pensieve against him. I think that was what made him so angry ... and Dumbledore, too. But Dumbledore said that although I deserved to be punished, he wouldn't punish me because I'm old enough to decide for myself what I should do to make it right.'

There was a long silence as the three friends looked at each other. Then Harry sighed, ‘No offence, guys, but I think I need to be alone now and do some thinking, OK?'

Hermione and Ron looked at him uncertainly then exchanged a glance. ‘Sure, mate', Ron said bracingly. ‘See you later.' Hermione just nodded encouragingly and together they headed back for the castle, leaving Harry alone with his thoughts.

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Dinner in the Great Hall was, as usual, a noisy affair. Harry pushed the food on his plate from one side to the other, having hardly any appetite at all. He had dared to look at the teaches' table only once. Snape was there, glowering down at his plate, and Harry was glad that they hadn't made eye contact. Ron and Hermione were shooting him nervous glances every few moments.

‘So, Harry,' Hermione asked tentatively. ‘Have you thought about what you're going to do?'

‘Yep.' Harry nodded grimly. ‘I'm going to see Snape right after dinner. I just hope he isn't busy with someone else. I'd better check on my map before I go there.'

‘Well,' Ron said hesitantly, ‘are you sure it's a good idea to do this tonight? I mean, I don't know how Snape will take being disrupted on a Saturday evening, by you of all people, and besides, I mean, have you seen his face? He's still in a horrible mood! Why not wait until he's had a chance to cool down? You could go there tomorrow morning or -  no! - even better, go on Monday morning before class. At least he can't keep you that long then.'

Harry shook his head. ‘No, Ron, I want to get this over with. And I definitely don't want to go in the morning. After all, there's a good chance I'll end up getting whacked again - and at least this way I'll be able to lie down afterwards and try to sleep off the worst of it.' He was surprised that he could talk so matter of factly about the chance of being caned again, and judging from the bewildered faces of Ron and Hermione, so were they.

Hermione actually blushed a little when she proposed hesitantly, ‘Well Harry, if you think that's likely to happen, maybe you can prepare yourself a bit? Wear an extra pair of underwear or something? Or does Snape...  check?'

Harry shook his head, internally shuddering when he thought how humiliating that would be. But Ron warned, ‘Don't do it, mate. He might find out somehow and then...' He didn't finish the sentence.

‘Yes, that would be more than embarrassing,' Harry agreed. ‘No, I'll just take what comes.' He actually manged a small grin. ‘Really you two, what happened to you, changing roles? Hermione giving ideas how to cheat and Ron warning me against it?'

However, by the time Harry found himself in front of Snape's door, any trace of amusement had faded. He gulped and knocked. When he heard heavy steps from inside the office, he drew a deep breath and wiped his sweaty palms on his robe. The door opened and Snape stood with his arms folded on the threshold, glaring at him.

Harry cleared his throat. ‘Sir, may I talk to you, please?' he managed to choke out.

He wouldn't have thought it possible for Snape's glare to intensify, but it did. ‘And what makes you think I would want to spoil my evening by talking to you, Potter?' the man spat.

Harry flinched at the hatred in Snape's voice as he pronounced his last name. ‘Please sir, I'm sorry!' he pleaded.

‘I'm not interested,' was the cold reply.

Harry felt his stomach contract. Abruptly he realized how much Dumbledore's words had affected him. He no longer felt the hatred and contempt for Snape that he once had. He still didn't like the man, but he respected him, and - to his own surprise - he found he was desperately sorry for how he had treated him. Harry still didn't feel all that guilty about having defended Hermione from Snape's snarky comments about her teaching yoga and being a know-it-all, but he had to make Snape understand just how badly he felt for having used the man's memories against him and jumping to conclusions. He put up his hand to forestall the professor's closing the door. Even if it meant taking another dose of the cane, Harry wanted to know Snape had - if not forgiven him - at least recognised his remorse.

‘I'm sorry, sir!' he insisted. ‘Please....!'

Snape paused and stared at him strangely for a moment. Then he sighed and stepped aside to let Harry pass. ‘Come in and sit down, Potter.'

Relieved, but at the same time increasingly apprehensive, Harry sat down in the chair opposite Snape's desk. Bracing himself for what he would do next, he slowly drew his wand.  

Head bowed, he laid his wand on the table and carefully pushed it over to Snape's end of the desk. Folding his hands in his lap, he stared down at them and, heart hammering, waited for Snape's reaction. During his solitary walk around the lake, he had spent a lot of time wondering how best to proceed. Handing his wand over right at the beginning had seemed the best way to show Snape he was willing to have this encounter on Snape's terms. He just hoped Snape would understand the gesture. When he heard nothing, he hesitantly looked up and met Snape's eyes.

‘What did you want to say to me, Potter?' Snape looked at him coldly. Harry's wand was still lying on the desk, untouched.

Harry swallowed. ‘I wanted to apologize, sir, for shouting at you and for drawing my wand. And I wanted you to know that I wasn't going to attack you. I really wasn't! You just looked so angry and I thought you were going to hex me, so it was a reflex action.'

‘A reflex action,' Snape repeated sarcastically.

‘Yes,' Harry insisted. ‘But I'm still sorry, and I know I shouldn't have shouted at you like I did. And...' He dropped his gaze, his voice barely above a whisper, ‘I'm very sorry for mentioning the memory. I shouldn't have done that. You - you've never used any of the memories you saw in my head against me, and I'm sorry that I did.' He still kept his gaze on the floor. ‘And it‘s not as if I've never said anything stupid when I was furious. I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions.'

There, it was out. Harry was glad that he'd been allowed to say it all without interruption. Now he waited nervously for Snape to speak.

‘So, Potter, to what do I owe this sudden, remorseful display? Have you suddenly matured? Or are you simply here because the headmaster ordered you to come? I trust he has expressed his displeasure and punished you?'

Harry swallowed. He had made a vow to himself that, on this occasion at least, he would be absolutely honest with Snape, no matter what might result. If the man caught him in a single lie, Harry was certain Snape wouldn't believe any of his sincere apologies, and Harry didn't want to risk that. ‘He didn't tell me to come here... Sir', he hastily added. ‘And he didn't punish me, either. But he did "express his displeasure" and make me see that what I did was wrong. I hadn't seen it like that before.'

‘Oh?' Snape drawled. ‘How had you seen it, Potter?'

‘Well,' Harry paused, gathering his thoughts. ‘You were ridiculing Hermione, and that made me angry. I was already annoyed about having to be in detention when everyone else was off at Hogsmeade and I just decided that this time I wasn't going to sit there and take it. I knew I wasn't exactly being respectful, but ....'. He swallowed. He knew if he went on with what he wanted to say, Snape wouldn't be pleased in the least. On the other hand, this was probably the only chance he'd get where Snape had hinted that he was willing to listen to him, so it would be immensely stupid not to use the opportunity. Well, in for a penny, in for a pound, he thought. ‘I didn't feel like I had to.'

Oh no, I'm really going to get it now... he thought when he saw Snape's face contort in fury and hastily went on. ‘You see, sir, I know you've saved my life several times, but you've also treated me unfairly right from the beginning. I mean, on my very first day at Hogwarts, you made it clear that you disliked me, and I hadn't done anything to you! Then after that first potions lesson, everyone knew you hated me, but I had no idea why! Well, now I know it's because of my father, but honestly, I was just a scared and nervous eleven-year old!

‘Was it just because I looked like him? There was nothing I could do about that! And I never wanted my fame. I hate it when everybody stares at me. But you've always assumed that I enjoyed it, always said I was arrogant.... You've never treated me with any respect, so I didn't feel like I should treat you with any!'

Harry suddenly realized to his utter astonishment that, although his voice had risen considerably, Snape had neither interrupted nor attacked him but just was looking with a stony face at him. He swallowed and continued in a calmer tone. ‘You won't believe it, but Potions was one of the subjects I'd been looking forward to most before coming here. When Hagrid took me shopping for my school things, I loved the scales and my cauldron and those interesting ingredients and I couldn't wait to learn how to use them. Well, until that first lesson, anyway.'

He stopped. How might things have worked out  if Snape had treated him fairly from the beginning? Would he have liked Potions? After all, Professor Slughorn always said that his mother had been an apt hand at potions. Harry sighed and looked at his Professor, whose face was unreadable. ‘Sir, I know I haven't been a model student. But I'm also sure that many times my potions weren't worse than the others', but I was the only one who got a zero. And I know that you have always been angry at my rule-breaking, and I understand that, I mean, you are a teacher, but...‘ He struggled to find the right words. ‘I mean, I'm a student and everybody breaks a rule now and then, and when we get caught we serve detention...' He stopped, noticing himself that what he said didn't make much sense, and Snape's raised eyebrows seemed to confirm this. ‘What I mean is, the other teachers don't like it when I break the rules, but they just punish me and that's it. With me you always take it personally, like I do it deliberately to make you mad. You've said I consider myself above the rules, but that's not true!'

‘Isn't it, Potter?' Snape questioned him icily. ‘It appears to me that when it comes to rulebreaking, you have broken all the records. Well, at least if we leave the Weasley twins out of the competition. And, to use your own words, not many "scared and nervous eleven-year-olds" make a habit of wandering the castle at night, in the restricted section of the library no less!'

Harry gulped at the hostile tone. He still thought he hadn't considered himself above the rules. He understood that if he had been caught he would have been punished. But he couldn't think fast enough of a way to express this line of thought. Snape was still speaking.

‘You, Potter, broke the rules again and again, and when you heard that your father had also done so, it got even worse. After Lupin gave you that infernal map that insulted me, there was no stopping you!'

‘It wasn't him,' Harry muttered.

‘Do not interrupt me! This map that your father co-manufactured helped you to feel truly immune to being found out, didn't it? Oh, you were only too glad to follow in your wonderful father's footsteps, weren't you, Potter?'

Harry said nothing. This was so unfair. Snape was harping on his rule-breaking, when his bad treatment of Harry had started even before Harry had broken a single rule. The blood was rushing in his ears. Calm down, he told himself. He'll never listen to you otherwise! And there was still something he needed to tell Snape, and he wanted the man to believe him.

‘Sir,' he said, ‘it's true that I used to like it when people said I was like my dad. For the first eleven years of my life, I didn't know anything about my parents except the lies my aunt and uncle told me. When I got here and people told me my dad was brave and smart and good at Quidditch -then of course, I wanted to be like him. But, please believe me, when I saw the memory in the pensieve I was shocked to see him behaving like an idiot! When you caught me in the pensieve you asked if I was having fun, but you never let me answer. Well, let me answer now: absolutely not! I may break the rules, but I am not a bully. I know what it's like to be bullied, thanks to my cousin! And I found it horrible to see my dad treat you like that!'

‘I'm aware of that, Potter.'

The calm tone halted Harry's impassioned speech. It took a moment before he could find his voice. ‘You are?' Harry asked, bewildered.

‘Lupin informed me that you had told them off for their behaviour. He said you were devastated by what you had seen.'

‘I was,' Harry admitted miserably. ‘Everyone except you had always said he was a good person, but then I saw him act like such a prat... ‘ He added, hardly above a whisper, ‘I wish I had never looked.'

‘Yet it never occured to you to apologize. It took the headmaster for that.' Snape's cool statement made Harry flinch.

‘Yeah, you're right,' he agreed unhappily. ‘I felt more sorry for myself for seeing him like that than for you at knowing I had seen it. But the headmaster made me see how selfish that was. I'm truly sorry, Professor,' he said, dragging his eyes up to meet Snape's. ‘Please believe me. I know you must hate the thought I saw you like that. I can understand why you were furious - and still are.' He swallowed hard.

‘Yes, Potter, I was furious. And believe me, had I then had the authority to cane you, I would definitely have made use of it. Who knows, it might have saved both of us some trouble and grief.'

Harry could only guess at what the man meant. Did Snape mean that, after caning Harry, he would have been willing to continue Occlumency lessons? That Voldemort wouldn't then have succeeded in luring him into the Department of Mysteries? That Sirius - ? A lump started building in his throat and he was almost grateful for Snape's next sarcastic remark.

‘At the very least, it would undoubtedly have made one of us feel much better afterwards.'

Harry nodded silently and looked down at his hands. He could understand that. ‘You could still do it,' he said quietly. Oh, no, Harry, you idiot, are you daft, did you just suggest that? Blushing, he nervously looked up and saw Snape peer at him, his face inscrutable.

‘A whole year later? I don't think so, Potter. I may hold a grudge, but even for me that's a bit much.'

Harry suppressed a deep sigh of relief. That was almost a joke. Encouraged, he asked tentatively, ‘Sir, would you mind telling me...My dad, was he generally like that? You know, a bully?'

Snape considered him for a moment. ‘No, Potter. Not generally.' Harry breathed another sigh of relief. ‘Just with me,' the man continued coolly.

‘Oh.' Harry felt there was nothing he really could say to that. Instead, he felt the need to explain one last thing. ‘Sir, I just wanted you to know, when I looked into your pensieve, I didn't do it because I wanted to see embarassing things from your private life. Really! It was just that nobody was telling me anything, and I thought you might have some information about the Order in the pensieve, and I would find out what it was all about with the Department of Mysteries, but then when I saw my dad in there I just couldn't leave...'

‘Let me see if I understood you correctly,' Snape said slowly.‘You didn't want to embarrass me but rather looked into my pensieve in order to find out about Order business that I might have wanted to hide from you.' He paused and said quietly, ‘I see.'

‘Yes,' Harry confirmed, relieved that Snape obviously believed him.

‘And it didn't occur to you,' Snape went on, still quietly, ‘that any information hidden there would have been there for a reason? You are aware what the Dark Lord would have done to me if he had broken through your non-existent occlumency shields and found memories concerning my work for the Order in your mind?' He shook his head. ‘Really, Potter, I know that you dislike me, but I have been unaware until now how cunningly you have worked to bring about my painful death!'

Harry was just staring at his teacher. Now that Snape put it like that, he couldn't help to see the logic in what the man said.

‘I.... I didn't think!' he stammered.

‘That, Potter,' Snape said icily, ‘is exactly your problem. You never think!'

Harry felt defensive. True, looking into Snape's pensieve had definitely been a bad idea, but to say he never thought....

‘Well, Hermione does!' he said flippantly.

To his utter surprise, no rebuke followed. Snape merely said forcefully, ‘Yes, thank Merlin, she does! I am only glad, Potter, that you prove more sensible in your choice of friends than in your choice of actions!'

Harry blinked. Okay, that had definitely been an insult aimed at him, but hadn't it also been a compliment for Hermione? It couldn't be, but...

‘In fact, you should listen more closely to what she says. Especially during the next few weeks, when she will be explaining those relaxation techniques to you.'

Now he felt as if he was dreaming. ‘But earlier you thought that the whole idea was just ridiculous!' he protested.

‘I never said that, Potter', Snape snapped. ‘And if you hadn't been in such a foul mood from the moment you entered my office, you might not have jumped to that conclusion. Although, I forget, jumping to self-righteous conclusions about other people is a speciality of yours!'

‘But,' Harry protested feebly, ‘you did make fun of her wanting to teach me meditation! Sir.'

‘And you blame me for that?' Snape remarked drily. ‘You fail to see that the thought of you of all people sitting on the floor, meditating, is about as bizarre as the idea of Professor Trelawney playing Quidditch?'

Harry almost laughed out loud at the mental image of the loony woman on a broom with all her shawls fluttering around her. ‘Maybe she'd see the snitch with her Inner Eye', he grinned.

‘Maybe, Potter.' Did Snape's lips just twitch? Harry wasn't sure. He became aware that he himself was still grinning and was completely taken aback. Of all scenarios he had imagined before he came to Snape's office, none of them included a single moment where he would be even faintly amused. But, he realized with a sense of shock, Snape actually did have a sense of humour, albeit one that was often cutting.

‘So, you mean, you weren't laughing about Hermione, but about me?' he inquired hopefully.

‘Indeed, Potter.' Snape eyed him for a moment. ‘You become incensed at the thought that I might be mocking Miss Granger, but can find it amusing if you are the target of my humour?'

Harry shrugged awkwardly. It sounded weird when you put it like that, but he was always more protective of his friends than of himself.

Snape gave him another odd look, then dropped the subject. ‘Given your personality, I am sure Miss Granger has immersed herself into what may well prove her most challenging project.' Harry was sure now; the man was barely suppressing a smirk. ‘But given her dogged persistence, I believe she is well suited to the job.'

He peered at Harry and hesitated before continuing. ‘I realize, Potter, that my methods to train you to control your temper have been somewhat... drastic. And it might well be that Miss Granger's approach will work better for you, especially since you obviously trust her and don't suspect her of "just wanting to make you miserable".' He quoted Harry's outburst from the morning.

Harry stared at him, unable to believe what he had just heard. There could be no doubt: Snape had just complimented Hermione!

‘I have better things to do on Saturday mornings than have you yell at me, Potter,' his teacher continued quietly. ‘so I will suspend your detentions. Instead you will work with Miss Granger. But mark me! I will keep my eye on you to ensure that you practise and make progress. If you do, we will consider your detentions with me finished. If you don't...' There was an ominous pause.

‘I will!' Harry assured him hastily. ‘I promise!' He couldn't believe what he had just heard! Not only was Snape letting him live, but he had cancelled his detentions as well? This was too good to be true.

‘Is there anything else about the Sectumsempra affair or today's events that you would like to tell me?' Snape asked, looking into Harry's eyes.

‘No, sir,' the boy said softly. He felt limp with relief - Snape had listened to him, had even seemed to accept his apology, and had - incredibly! - let him off of further detentions!

‘I see. Then we will complete this now.'

With those words, Harry's sense of relief evaporated. He watched anxiously as his professor got up and moved across the room. Harry swallowed as Snape walked over to the cupboard and opened it. He had a pretty good idea what the man would take out. He briefly closed his eyes. Come on, Harry, you knew you were going to get it, so pull yourself together! He scolded himself. At least Snape has calmed down, so it probably won't be any worse than what you got before...

He opened his eyes and saw that Snape indeed held the cane in his hand and was approaching him. Drawing a deep breath, he forced himself to stand up and take a step towards the desk.

‘Yes, sir,' he whispered and started undoing the fastenings of his robe.

‘Potter,' Snape said calmly, holding the cane out to him, ‘take this and put it back where it belongs.'

‘What!?' Harry spluttered.

‘Take the cane and put it back where we got it from,' Snape repeated impatiently. ‘I trust you remember where that was?'

‘Y-yes,' Harry stammered, ‘but aren't you going to ... you know?'

‘Cane you?' Snape shook his head. ‘No. I have no intention of doing so again.' He hesitated. ‘It might have been a mistake the last time as well.'

Harry stared at him, utterly bewildered. What had got into Snape? That had almost sounded like an apology!

‘That's okay', he mumbled, too stunned to say anything else. ‘Erm, I did tell you that Professor Dumbledore didn't punish me, didn't I?'he asked, just to make sure that Snape wasn't letting him off under a misapprehension.

‘You never before appeared to be someone who minded getting out of a punishment.' Snape raised his eyebrows.  ‘And last time I looked, you were no house-elf. But, certainly, if you insist... ‘ He flexed the cane meaningfully.

‘No!' Harry shouted hastily, then blushed crimson. ‘Of course not,' he muttered, hurrying to take the cane from his teacher before Snape could change his mind.

As Snape handed him the cane, Harry couldn't suppress a feeling of both relief and gratitude towards Snape. He recognized the man's gesture for what it was - Snape could have just dismissed him and taken the cane back himself, without a word to Harry. But instead, he was letting Harry put the cane back, making it clear that as far as he was concerned, the whole Sectumsempra affair was well and truly over, and whatever conflicts the two might have in the future, Harry didn't have to worry about the cane being brought into use. ‘Thanks', he mumbled, unable to say more past the lump in his throat.

Snape nodded. ‘Don't forget your wand, Mr. Potter.'

Harry picked it up and walked to the door, thinking that over the past two weeks, he had never made it to this door without Snape throwing a last remark at him.

‘Potter?'

Harry suppressed a grin as he turned around. It felt good to know he had finally figured out what to expect from the man! ‘Sir?'

‘I just wanted to warn you, Potter. There is no need to indulge in your usual disrespect. I said "put it back", not "snap it in two and feed the pieces to the Giant Squid". After all, I might have need of it again, mightn't I?'

Two weeks ago, Harry would have been upset by that remark. He would have assumed Snape was taunting him, pointing out that he could, at any time, force Harry to retrieve the cane. Two weeks ago, he would have assumed that Snape would enjoy laying into him. But now he thought that their relationship had changed. He and Snape would certainly never be friends - but they could be ... comrades, working together to defeat Voldemort. And with his better insight into the dour Potions Master, Harry suddenly knew that Snape was as determined to avoid using the cane on him as he himself was to avoid receiving it. Yes, while Snape's actual warning was certainly meant seriously, the threat that was issued with it was just another sample of Snape's cruel humour. Well, he could surely deal with that.

‘Don't worry, sir,' he said, his face straight. ‘I'll stow it away neatly so that you will have no problem finding it.'

Yes, he could have sworn the man's lips twitched. Encouraged, he grinned and added, 'After all, you might need it for Malfoy.'

Snape rolled his eyes. ‘Good night, Mr Potter.'