Potions and Snitches
Snape and Harry Gen Fanfiction Archive

Author's Chapter Notes:
Usual disclaimers apply. J.K. owns it all! I've also borrowed some dialogue from the POA book, where Molly and Arthur discuss whether Harry should be told about Sirius. Since Severus wasn't part ot the original conversation, I've added a bit of my own dialogue and descriptions.

Special thanks to ObsidianEmbrace (Tabitha) for betaing this chapter, and for just letting me bounce ideas off of her. Her stories are amazing and she's the best!

Thanks to Tabitha and Kristeh for poking me when I start to feel discouraged and want to stop writing!
Friends and Enemies

Harry looked out the window and groaned. It wasn't fair. He wanted to be outside in the fresh air running around the hillside with Fang in tow. But no. He was sitting here revising his Potions essay for the fourth time, because the greasy git wouldn't let him step one foot out the door until it was up to his bloody standards.

When Snape had handed it back to him the third time with red marks littering the page, Harry wanted to throw it back it the bat's ugly face. But Harry bit his lip and trudged on, making all the corrections that Snape had specified.

Harry looked it over again, and sucked in a deep breath. He knocked lightly on the door to Snape's laboratory, hesitantly opening the door when he heard a deep voice say, “Enter”.

Snape looked up with a stern look on his face. “You have made the corrections I've specified?”

Harry resisted the urge to roll his eyes. “Yes sir.”

“Give it to me then. I certainly hope that you've put a bit more effort into it this time, unlike your pathetic attempt you made this morning..”

Harry held his breath as Snape's cold black eyes scanned the page. After what seemed like hours, Snape raised his dark eyes and handed the parchment back to Harry.

He nodded his head, making his limp hair fall in front of his pale face. “Satisfactory, Mr. Potter.”

Harry's eyes lit up. Finally, he was going to be able to go see Hagrid.

"However, I expect a better effort in your studies from now on, or your visiting privileges will be revoked, is that understood?" he asked sternly.

"Yes sir." He looked up at Severus expectantly.

Severus nodded. "Very well then, you may visit with Hagrid for an hour before dinner."

Harry was disappointed that he didn't have more time, but he wasn't about to argue, lest the Potions master forbid him from visiting Hagrid altogether. Harry had never mentioned the incident involving the black dog the other day, for fear that Snape would overreact and confine him to their quarters. Visiting Hagrid was his favourite part of the day.

---------

They walked in silence down to Hagrid's hut. Harry stole a quick glance at the solemn man's face. It was set in a emotionless mask.

"I will be back in an hour's time, Mr. Potter."

Harry nodded. "Yes sir. Thank you."

It was a little chilly this afternoon, and Harry was glad now that Snape had forced him to put on a thick jumper.

As usual, Hagrid greeted Harry with a big grin, and put his large hand on the boy's shoulder. "Good to see ya Professor, Harry. I was beginning ta think you weren't gonna make it today.”

"Yes well, Mr. Potter has responsibilities that must be met before he is allowed to visit." He looked down sternly at Harry. "Perhaps, in the future Mr. Potter will take his studies a little more seriously."

Harry clamped down on his teeth. No, I won't tell the giant bat where he can stick it. I won't tell the greasy git that one of Hagrid's Dragupine's made much better company then he did. Even when you had to duck when they became a little agitated! Harry felt a little twinge of guilt for having these thoughts. The man had taken him in when he had nowhere else to go, taken care of him and protected him, and here he was thinking all these awful thoughts about him. Okay, so Snape could be a royal pain in the arse at times, and more prickly than a Dragupine, but he deserved respect nonetheless, for all that he'd done to help Harry.

"Yes sir," he forced himself to say politely.

"Very well; in an hour then." Harry watched the tall man walk up the hill towards the castle, thinking what a contrast it was to see Snape's long robes ripple with the grass instead of billowing in a dark cloud behind him.

Harry went off with a happy grin in the large man's embrace. Hagrid and Harry sat sipping tea, eating cauldron cakes, or rather Harry pretended to eat cauldron cakes, while slipping them secretly to Fang behind him. This time when Hagrid showed him his newest acquisitions, Harry kept his distance.

All too quickly, the hour passed and Snape came back to pick him up.

"The Headmaster wishes to speak with us after dinner Mr. Potter," Snape said with a look that suggested that he was not pleased at this newest revelation.

"About what sir?" Harry asked curiously.

"You'll find out soon enough Potter," Snape said with a scowl.

Harry knew better than to ask again. Harry had found out the hard way that Snape did not tolerate whining. If Snape's warning look didn't remind him, then the ache in his hand from writing "Only toddlers whine and since I'm not a toddler, I will not whine", two hundred times, certainly brought the lesson home.

"Go get washed up for dinner Mr. Potter. You smell like one of Hagrid's creatures. Perhaps we should keep you in a pen as well.”

Harry gritted his teeth and clenched his fists. Just when he was beginning to think that Snape wasn't so bad after all, he had to make a snarky comment. Once a git always a git.

"Oh, and Mr. Potter, tomorrow I would like for you to see Madam Pomfrey, so that she may assess your condition."

"But sir, I feel great," Harry insisted.

"Well, that may be the case, but I would prefer to be certain. Although you are on normal food, you still eat only enough to feed a bird, and while you've possibly gained a couple of pounds, you still look like I could snap you in half."

Harry flushed. He looked down at his over-large clothes. Snape had mentioned again that they would be purchasing new clothes next week, and had already performed a shrinking charm on some of his old ones, but since he was only going to visit Hagrid, and would most likely come back with soiled clothes anyway, Snape had not insisted that he dress in his best. Of course, he didn't really have any "best" clothes.

Severus looked at the frail child with the clothes that looked like they would fit a baby whale, and had to fight down his outrage against those pathetic Muggles again. He had a feeling that there was much more to this story than met the eye; that the abuse was much more severe than the boy let on. While he would never claim to be particularly fond of children, he could not abide abusing one either. A little twinge of guilt settled in the pit of his stomach when a little voice in the back of his head piped up, saying that the Muggles were not the only one who had abused the boy. Though he had never laid a hand on the child, Severus knew that he'd used his hate against the senior Potter as an excuse to torture his son. But looking at the vulnerable child, with the large emerald eyes and knowing what he knew now, he realised that he would never look at Potter the same way again.

"Go wash up Mr Potter."

"Uh, yes sir," Potter said wearily.

After Harry allowed himself a few moments of letting the warm water fall on his face, he quickly exited the shower, dried and dressed in clean clothes. Harry was actually surprised to see fresh, clean clothes that he hadn't seen before, laid out on his bed. Harry shook his head. The man was really a mystery.

Harry allowed himself a quick look in the mirror and ran the comb through his wet hair. Was it his imagination or did he look a bit different? Nah, he thought. It was just probably because of all the weight that he'd lost, that his cheekbones looked a little sharper. Of course that didn't explain why his hair seemed a little bit smoother and behaved a better as well... He shook his head, sending droplets of water, splattering onto the mirror.

'How rude," it said pertly. Harry leapt back in shock. It was the first time that the mirror had ever spoken to him.

"Uh, sorry." Harry answered sheepishly.

Harry wondered if he had imagined the mirror speaking to him, since it looked perfectly normal now. He shook his head and hurried out of the room quickly before Snape reprimanded him for taking too long. He did take another quick peek back at the mirror, however.

Harry hurried into the parlour, only to find Snape there tapping his foot impatiently.

"Dinner will be over soon Potter.”

This wasn't going to be easy. Changing his mindset towards the boy. He wasn't even certain when he'd made the decision to do it, but all he knew was that part of him wanted to hold on to his hatred--it was safe and familiar to think of the boy as an extension of Potter, but the other part of him, the part that only saw Lily's eyes when he looked at the boy, was having a hard time connecting the two. As painful as it was to even think that this boy was Lily's son...Lily's son with Potter, it was more painful to look at those eyes and be reminded that this was not his son, but James'.

Where the hell did that thought come from? Severus admonished himself.

"Let's go Potter," he said gruffly.

---------

"Harry. Severus," Dumbledore greeted with a warm smile and twinkling blue eyes.

"Hello sir," Harry said shyly.

Severus only nodded. He knew why they were here, and was not particularly pleased about it.

"You're looking well my boy," Dumbledore said to Harry. "You still need to gain a little weight, but I'm pleased to see that Severus has taken good care of you."

Harry remained silent, looking down at his toes.

"Can we please get on with it Albus," Severus said impatiently.

"Yes, of course Severus.”

"Well Harry, I'm sure you'll be pleased to know that the Weasleys are back from their holiday, and as they are planning on spending a couple of days at the Leaky Cauldron, so that they may obtain their children's school supplies, I have arranged for you to do so as well."

Harry's eyes lit up in excitement. "Really? That's great sir. Thank you."

"Yes, I have reserved a room for you and Professor Snape. He will accompany you to obtain your school supplies as well."

Severus rolled his eyes. Yes, this was going to be so much fun, being saddled with a horde of Weasleys.

----------------

"Harry," a chorus of voices greeted him as he entered the crowded room of the Leaky Cauldron.

Before Harry knew what was happening, he was looking up into the smiling faces of the Weasley clan.

"Harry dear, so good to see you," Mrs. Weasley gushed, enveloping him in a warm embrace.

Mr. Weasley, as usual was standing on the sidelines. He nodded. "Harry...Severus, nice to see you."

Harry was overwhelmed at the smiling faces that greeted him.

A big grin lit up Harry's face. That is, until he noticed Snape's scowl.

Ron noticed Snape's scowl as well, and smiled uncertainly at Harry while casting nervous glances at Snape.

Suddenly, a bushy head peeked out from behind George and Fred.

"Harry." Hermione bravely came and gave him a big hug, making Harry's face heat up.

Suddenly she drew back, shyly, realising that Snape was observing the whole scene with a sour look on his face.

She stood for a moment studying him. "You look different Harry," she said thoughtfully, chewing on her bottom lip.

Hermione thought so too? Before he had a chance to contemplate it further, Snape interrupted.

"Well I think that it's time we settle into our room Mr. Potter. You may visit with your fan club later," he sneered.

Harry bit his tongue.

"Yes, perhaps that is best," Arthur agreed.

"But dad," Ron whined, "Harry just got here."

"Yes, and you'll have plenty of time to visit with him later. We'll meet back here later, Severus? After you and Harry settle in?"

"Yes...later." Severus nodded. "Come Potter. I think perhaps a short rest before dinner is in order."

Harry looked aghast. "But sir, I'm not tired."

"Nevertheless, you will rest. We had a busy day today, and I have a feeling that this evening will be anything but tranquil," he said with disdain; he looked at the swarm of too-happy children, who looked as though they had overdosed on sweets. One look at the colourful bag labeled Zonkos, clutched in the youngest Weasley's death-like grip, confirmed his suspicions.

"Yes sir," Harry grumbled.

"Now Harry dear," Mrs. Weasley said kindly, "Professor Snape is right." She patted him lightly on his slender shoulder. "You need to preserve your energy. We have a big night ahead and tomorrow, we'll be going to Diagon Alley to fetch your school supplies. You don't want to be over-doing it now, do you dear?"

"No Ma'am," Harry replied obediently. Secretly, he thought that adults all stuck together. He wasn't made of glass, for Merlin's sake.

Of course, there was no point in arguing. Even though Madame Pomfrey had cleared him for normal activity, within reason, Snape seemed to feel that it was his mission in life to make sure that Harry took care of his health. Honestly, at times he was like a male version of Mrs. Weasley, always fussing over him. Harry chuckled to himself. Just imagine Snape's face, were he to ever suggest such a thing. The man would probably put him in detention till he graduated.

True; they had visited every shop in Hogsmeade that day, purchasing new apparel for Harry. From undergarments (to which Harry had objected to buying in Snape's presence), jeans, and dress trousers, a couple of casual robes, a cloak, socks, jumpers and trainers. Harry wondered if Dumbledore had given Snape money to buy his clothes, but when he had inquired, he had been abruptly and firmly told that it was not his concern. And when he had offered to pay for them with his parent's money from his vault at Gringotts, Snape's eyes had flashed dangerously, and he told Harry in no uncertain terms what he could do with "Potter's" money. Harry wasn't sure whether to be offended at the slight to his father, or feel gratitude that Snape was concerned whether he was properly dressed or not--until, it occurred to Harry that Snape was probably too embarrassed to be seen with him dressed as a vagabond.

When Snape proclaimed that he was permitted to rise from the admittedly very comfortable bed hours later, Harry was frothing at the bit to see his friends.

"Go wash up, Mr. Potter," Snape said, his lip curled. "And put on one of your new garments; throw the others in the trash, they're not fit for a vagrant," he scorned.

That was one order that Harry had no trouble obeying. He had a brig grin on his face as he dangled a pair of Dudley's large trousers and tee-shirt over the rubbish bin. It was like the end of an era. Dumbledore promised him that he'd never have to go back to the Durlsey's. Harry suddenly felt a jolt of panic. If he really wasn't going back to the Dursleys ever again, where was he going? Harry felt incredibly insecure all of a sudden. Would Dumbledore send him to live with the Weasley's? They'd always welcomed Harry into their family, but they had so many children already. Harry's stomach churned a little with anxiety. He tried to tell himself that he trusted Dumbledore to keep his promise to make sure that he would always be looked after and safe.

---------

Harry had managed to forget all of his previous worries, and was looking forward to seeing his friends. It was all a matter of split-second timing really. Snape managed to make it safely out the door, and halfway down the corridor, before Harry, who had no sooner clasped the door handle... one foot out the door--his body following, when his other foot, barely managing to follow, slid underneath him, as a large grey rat, and a bright orange ball of fur, came barreling towards him, passed through the middle of his legs in a flurry of fur and loud squeals, and sent Harry unceremoniously on his arse.

Just when Harry finally found his feet, he was spun around by a charging Ron, screeching, "Scabbers, come back here."

Harry looked wide-eyed at his best friend. What was that all about?

Harry just managed to avoid landing on his bruised behind once again, by flinging himself against the wall as now Hermione fled down the hall, trailing behind Ron.

"Crookshanks, come here...there's a good kitty," she cried anxiously.

Snape, who had been watching the whole drama unfold, had his arms folded and was smirking at Harry.

Harry just glared at him.

Harry peeled himself off the wall, and rubbed his smarting bottom.

------------------

"Keep that menace away from my rat," Ron's voice echoed through the halls of the stairwell.

"You should take better care of your pet, Ronald," Hermione said in a haughty tone.

Harry stood on the bottom step, surveying his friends, his lips quirked in a small smile. It was like watching a boxing match--with Ron in one corner, an angry scowl on his face, clutching his terrified rat who wormed his way into his cardigan, and Hermione in the other, holding onto a pug-faced feline, that was fighting against Hermione's restraining hold, looking as though she wanted nothing more than to gobble up Ron's rat and have a succulent treat.

"I do take care of Scabbers, I'll have you know," he said indignantly. "He can't help it if tha-that poor excuse for a cat attacks Scabbers." He pointed at Scabbers, trembling with emotion.

"He does not attack Scabbers," she retorted hotly. "And your rat is a poor ex-"

"Hey guys," Harry interrupted discreetly. He really didn't want his best friends arguing.

"Harry," they both exclaimed excitedly, forgetting their argument, at least temporarily.

"I'm so glad to see you Harry, but-," Ron looked around, and lowered his voice, as Snape went to join Arthur and Molly who were off to the back of the pub, looking as though they were arguing. "I can't believe that Dumbledore made you stay with the greasy git."

"Ron!" Hermione scolded. "He is a professor."

"Yeah, a greasy one," Ron agreed.

"Uh...Ron," Harry began uncomfortably, "Snape hasn't been too bad actually. I mean, he-" Harry hesitated at Ron's look of disbelief. "I'm serious Ron, Snape took really good care of me when-" Harry's face flushed in embarrassment.

"When what?" Hermione asked softly.

"Uh, nothing. Nothing at all," he said quietly, scuffing the floor with his trainer. "The point is that Snape was well... okay--so he wasn't nice exactly, but he did feed me, and he didn't beat me, and-" Harry stopped when he realised what he had said.

Hermione's face froze in horror, when she figured out what Harry hadn't said. "Harry," she said, emotion choking her voice. "Did the Dursley's...hurt you?"

Ron's face turned red. "Did they, mate?" He asked angrily. He'd already known since last year, that they starved Harry and treated him badly, but he hadn't realised that his aunt and uncle had possibly been abusive.

Harry's felt his face heat up in shame. He turned away, but Hermione gently clasped his arm. "Harry?'

"I don't want to talk about it Hermione," Harry whispered. "Please." He looked at her with pleading eyes.

Hermione nodded in understanding. She shook her head at Ron, whose hands were fisted tightly and looked like he wanted to race over to the Dursleys and thrash them within an inch of their sorry lives. Of course the fact that he was only thirteen hadn't crossed his mind.

"C'mon," Hermione said, "let's go talk; we have so much to catch up on."

"Yeah mate," Ron nodded his head. "I've got to tell you all about our trip."

Harry smiled at the both of them. He was so lucky to have the best friends in the world.

Harry was grateful to have a distraction and he easily allowed himself to be led over to the table filled with noisy, boisterous Weasley children. He smiled when he heard Fred and George talking about some new pranks that they were going to release on some unsuspecting prey at Hogwarts.

Harry's head snapped around when he overheard Mrs. Weasley's shrill voice above the noisy crowd.

"But Harry's just a child. He doesn't need to be worrying about Sirius Black."

Harry's eyes widened.

"I'll be right back," he said to a surprised Ron and Hermione.

"But Harry, where are you going?" Hermione whispered anxiously.

"I'll tell you guys later," he assured them.

Harry rushed breathlessly up the stairs, taking two at a time. He rushed to the room, and cursed himself for not realising that Snape had the key to the room. He took a deep breath, and fished in his jean's pocket for his wand.

Harry pointed his wand at the lock, and whispered "Alohamora," and wished fervently that he wasn't caught by the Ministry for using underage magic again. He didn't think that they'd be so tolerant this time.

The lock clicked, and the door swung opened quietly. Harry slipped in and began rummaging through his trunk for his invisibility cloak.

Harry slipped the cloak over his head, and quickly made his way back down the stairs, his breath hitching when, on the last step, the stair creaked, making Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, and Snape turn to look around suspiciously.

Harry pressed himself up against the closest wall to where they were situated, and listened in growing horror to their discussion.

"...makes no sense not to tell him," Mr. Weasley was saying heatedly. "Harry's got a right to know. I've tried to tell Fudge, but he insists on treating Harry like a child. He's thirteen years old and-"

"Arthur, the truth would terrify him!" said Mrs. Weasley shrilly.

"Do you really want him going back to school, with that hanging over him? For heaven's sake, he's happy not knowing!"

"I don't want to make him miserable, I want to put him on his guard!" retorted Mr. Weasley.

"You know what Ron and Harry are like, wandering off by themselves"

Snape snorted. That was an understatement, he thought caustically. Potter, Weasley, and Granger beckoned trouble in and invited it to dinner. At Molly and Arthur's sharp look though, he composed himself.

"I tend to agree with Arthur, Molly. Fudge is deluding himself if he thinks that Potter won't go investigating this on his own. He's already suspicious, and as Potter has a habit of sticking his nose in where it doesn't belong--" he sneered.

Harry gritted his teeth. Git, he thought nastily.

--they've ended up in the Forbidden Forest twice! But Harry mustn't do that this year!" Mr. Weasly continued. "When I think of what would have happened to him the night he ran away from home! If the Knight Bus hadn't of picked him up, I'm prepared to bet that he would have been dead before Severus found him."

He looked at Severus gratefully. "Thank Merlin that you happened to be at the Leaky Cauldron, Severus."

Depends on how you look at it, Severus thought acerbically.

"But he's not dead, he's fine, so what's the point-"

Arthur clenched his teeth in frustration, and gave a look to Severus, that said, I could use your help here.

"Arthur is right Molly. The man is deranged. Who knows what he's capable of," Severus said, his lips thinning. He's already killed Lily. My Lily.

"Molly, they say Sirius Black's mad, and maybe he is, but he was clever enough to escape Azkaban, and that's supposed to be impossible. It's been three weeks, and no one has heard neither hide nor hair from him," Arthur pleaded with her. "And I don't care what Fudge keeps telling the Daily Prophet; we're no nearer to catching Black than inventing self-spelling wands. The only thing that we know for sure, is what Black's after-"

"We don't know that for sure," Molly said stubbornly.

Arthur threw his arms up in frustration.

"Perhaps you can talk some sense into her," he said to Severus.

Severus leant down slightly to fix Molly with his dark eyes. "Arthur is right, Molly. Sirius Black is a deranged killer, and he wants Potter dead.”


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