Snape glared as Harry potter successfully managed the transformation from Biscuit to boy and then back to Biscuit.  For the last two days he had been teaching Harry to find his magical core and follow the correct path and now it seemed that the boy had finally managed it.  The Animagus transformation was incredibly hard and yet the brat had managed it in two days.  When Biscuit became the boy again Snape summoned a goblet of pumpkin juice and held it out to a now panting Harry.

Since the boy had agreed to his terms, something that still shocked him, Snape had become used to and dare he say it, fond of the annoying little pest.  However there were still things bothering him. Questions that needed answers and actions that needed explanations.  Harry's general behaviour had surprised him somewhat.  He hadn't been swaggering around expecting Snape to serve him; he had done his school work as ordered been polite and scarily respectful, gone to bed on time and had actually stayed in bed and not gone gallivanting around the castle. No, something was wrong. Either the boy was depressed or maybe, just maybe, he was not an exact replica of James bloody Potter.  He certainly had not acted like him nor had he acted like the mangy mutt Black.  

"Thanks Sir, I needed that."   Snape gave the boy a rare smile and motioned for him to sit down on the sofa.  Where the hell should he start? Well studying his hands was not going to help and he could feel the boys gaze on him. Watching, waiting.

"Sir I... well I wanted to thank you for doing this," Harry blurted out in a rush.  "I know that you didn't want to really and I know it's not been easy for you but I wanted you to know that I'm grateful and that I will follow your rules and try to ....well I guess what I mean is..."  Snape watched as Harry faltered.   The boy seemed to withdraw into himself, as if unsure of what to do next. 

Sighing deeply Snape walked over to the sofa and sat down next to Harry. The boy didn't even move, save to draw his knees up to his chest and rest his head on them tiredly.  Snape had fully expected Harry to shy away from him as most of the students did when he got too close.  Clearing his throat softly, Snape spoke to Harry as he never had before.

"Care to tell me what's bothering you?" Even as the words left his mouth Snape blinked. Where had that come from? Merlin he actually sounded like he cared about the boy.

Harry lifted his head and glanced at Snape sadly.

"It's nothing Sir." He lied and Snape knew it.

"Don't give me that Harry, you can either talk to me of your own accord or I can use you as a test subject for the new formulation of veratiserum that I am working on."  Snape snapped.  Harry snorted in disbelief and Snape was surprised to hear a chuckle escape his lips.

"Do you doubt me Mr Potter?"

Harry giggled and almost dropped his pumpkin juice.  "No Sir but the last time you slipped veratiserum in my juice you didn't like my answers."  Snape watched bemused as Harry dissolved into a fit of giggles. He felt his lips twitching, he couldn't help it, he was going to laugh.

"Yes Pot...Harry your answers were a little more truthful than I would have hoped, I think that you would have hoped that I would have forgotten about it now. The thoughts that go through that messy head of yours escape me.

[Flashback]

"Now Potter, you will answer my questions truthfully for once.  What were Dumbledore's last words too you?"  Snape watched as the familiar dazed look flooded Harry's face and he couldn't help but smirk.

"Dumbledore said he was sorry and said he had left me his lemon drops and to carry on his sock fetish legacy." Harry answered heavily and Snape almost choked in shock.

"And what do you think of McGonagall?" 

"Pussy has too many prejudices against Slytherins and needs to lighten up. I was thinking about buying her some cat nip."  Harry replied with a lopsided grin.  Snape smirked, the boy was too easy.

"Weasly?"

"Ginny is stalking me in a scary ‘I want to have Harry spawn' kinda way, I think she has one of the twins love potions  and Ron has thoughts only for food, quidditch,  taking Hermione's knickers down and..." 

"Thank you Potter, and now Miss Granger, what are your thoughts on her?"  Snape interrupted quickly, he had no intention of listening to a pubescent boy's inapproiate sexual fantasy.

"Hermione could be the next minister of magic if she gets her head out of a book long enough; she's reading the Karma Sutra at the mo...." 

"Stop!" 

[End flashback]

Snape smirked at the memory and then threw caution to the wind as he laughed long and hard along with Harry. It had been a long time since the pair had let themselves go like this and it felt good.   Suddenly Harry had a really evil idea.

"Sev, I've got a brilliant idea." He giggled while grinning manically.

Snape froze; no one had called him Sev since Lily. Of course Harry didn't know that.

"Is there a way to prank say the whole school in one go?"  Snape glared at Harry and a dark look flashed over his face.

"I think you have confused me with the Mutt. I am a potions master not a prankster."  He snarled.   Harry's face dropped at the mention of Sirius and Snape mentally cursed himself. Groaning he reached out a hand and tilted the boys chin upwards.

"I suppose I could at least listen to your idea."