"Bye Harry. I'll miss you. Don’t forget to write!" Hermione demanded.
"Bye Hermione. I'll miss you too. Don’t worry. I'll write everyday if it makes you happy." Harry answered.
"Bye mate. I'll see you soon. Don’t let that greasy git get to you." said Ron.
"I'll try not to. I can't wait until I get to come to your house." Harry replied.
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Hermione and Ron boarded the Hogwarts Express, without Harry. The whistle blew and the train took off. Harry waved the train off and went back into the castle, where he met Snape.
"We're going to Floo to Headquarters from the Headmaster's office. Make sure you have all of your things." Snape said when he saw Harry.
No sarcastic remark? Harry thought. What's up with him? "Yes, sir." Harry answered and then rechecked his trunk to make sure that he had all of his things. It had just dawned on him that he might never have to see the Dursleys again and he felt considerably better but wasn’t looking forward to spending his summer with Snape, in his dead godfather's house. But Snape seems to be acting a lot nicer than usual, maybe he really does feel bad about Sirius. I wish Sirius was here then at least I would have someone to talk to all summer.
"Its time to go Potter. Get your things and bring them up to the Headmasters office. I will meet you there in ten minutes. Don’t be late." said Snape.
Snape headed toward the dungeons to get his things. Harry grab his trunk and headed to the Headmaster's office. He said the password "Lemon Drop" and walked in. Dumbledore didn’t appear to be there. Looking around he started remember the last time he was in here. It was in here that he found out about the prophecy and before that destroyed many of Dumbledore's things. Dumbledore and Snape walked in at the same time.
"It's time for the two of you to be going. If you need anything feel free to owl me." Dumbledore said.
"Goodbye Albus." Snape said. Then stepped into the fireplace. "Number 12 Grimmauld Place!"
"Goodbye Professor."
"Goodbye Harry. Remember that Professor Snape is there to help you."
"Yes, sir. Number 12 Grimmauld Place!" And the next thing Harry knew he was at the last place he wanted to be next to the Dursleys with a someone as bad, though in a different way, as them.
Harry looked around but didn’t see Snape. He figured that Snape was probably in his room sleeping, brewing a potion, or grading exams. He then realized how tired he was. Yawning, he pulled his trunk up to the room he and Ron had shared at the end of last summer. He laid down on the bed and was soon fast asleep.
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Meanwhile, Snape was in his room grading sixth and seventh year exams. He finished considerably early since there were few to grade. After all only those who got Outstandings on their O.W.L.s were usually accepted into his N.E.W.T. classes. He decided to go to bed early, tomorrow they would be restarting the Occlumency lessons and he knew that was going to be stressful but he had to do it or the Fates would have been wrong about trusting him to change the future.
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Harry woke up the next morning and went downstairs to the kitchen to find Snape already there. Also Dobby was there.
"Good morning master Harry Potter sir! What is you wanting for breakfast sir? Dobby can be making whatever you is wanting!" Dobby said.
"I'll have some toast and orange juice please Dobby." Harry answered.
"There's no need to be polite to a house elf Potter." said Snape.
"He saved my life second year. How could I not be polite to him?"
"I saved your life first year and yet you are hardly polite to me."
"I'll start working on that straight away, sir." Harry said, somewhat sarcastically.
They ate in silence for a few minutes. Harry picked up a copy of the Daily Prophet and started reading it. There was an article on Voldemort's latest attack. The night before Voldemort had attack a muggle family; they were all tortured and then killed.
Finally Snape spoke, "We will begin Occlumency tonight. We will work on that every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. On Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday we will work on your dueling skills. Sundays will be for improving your potion skills."
"Potions?"Harry asked.
"You want to be an Auror right?" Snape replied.
"Yeah but I don’t think I'll be able to take potions next year."Harry said, trying to not sound to disappointed.
"And why is that?"
"I doubt I got an O on my O.W.L."
"You don’t have to get an O. I have had many students with Es in my class before."
"But I thought you only let people who get Os in your N.E.W.T classes?"
"Normally I do but if a student doesn’t do well on their exams, sometimes their parents come talk to me and as long as the student is a good one I will let them continue taking my class."
"Oh. So these Sundays will be like a test to see if you think I'm good enough to be in your N.E.W.T class?"
"Basically, yes."