Chapter 2

He would have preferred to have sounded more calm and collected but under these circumstances, all he could manage was an undignified high-pitched shriek.

“Snape?”

So, this was really the last person he would ever have ever imagined to come into the room. Just as Harry’s eyes had finally adjusted to the sudden flash of light from the hallway, he witnessed how Snape’s controlled and superior expression transform into his trademark sneer.

“It is ‘Professor Snape’ to you, Potter!”

For a moment, Harry wondered how Snape always managed to speak while still sneering. He knew nobody else who could talk while grimacing or distorting the lips like that.

But on the other hand, Harry thought, this is probably not a grimace but his natural expression.

Snickering softly to himself, Harry was badly startled when the dark, looming Potions master was suddenly standing right in front of him.

“Professor, what...” was as far as he could manage to gasp because he was crudely interrupted by Snape’s icy drawl. “Quiet, Potter.” This being said, the Professor pulled his wand from his sleeve and pointed it right at Harry’s face.

Being held at wand-point, all Harry could do was sit, stare and wait. While he was still at a disadvantage, he had no desire to anger Snape in any further. But this would surely be the case as soon as he opened his mouth again.

So, for the moment, with his lips firmly sealed, he observed Snape murmuring spells that seemed oddly familiar. Even though he did not fully understand the words, he could recognize a certain pattern in the Professor’s pronunciation.

Where do I know these spells from?

Agitatedly, he tried to remember but came up with nothing. But this was to be expected because the pounding in his temples felt like jackhammers were smashing his brain. Right now, Snape could practically curse him to hell and back again without Harry standing a chance against him. Ever since he had learned of Snape’s position as a spy for the Order, he had thought that the man could at least be trusted not to betray him to Voldemort. But who knew? Maybe he had doubelcrossed Dumbledore and now he would have to pay for the old man’s mistake?

What could have happened that I would be left alone here with Snape of all people?

All those unanswered questions were heavily grating on Harry’s nerves – but Snape seemed so wholly absorbed in his chanting and wand-waving, that he was sure that there would be no answers for him in the near future. The Potions master ignored him completely which was a rather welcome improvement from the typical accusations and insults he usually threw at Harry.

Abruptly, Harry realized that the Professor had stopped his incantation. Harry had to crane his neck slightly to look the man in the eyes. He was met with Snape’s completely focused black gaze - dead centre. Squirming uncomfortable, Harry managed to meet his stare for a few painfully long seconds.

Just as he was about to – against better judgement – open his mouth again to tentatively ask his Professor some of his most pressing questions, Snape’s eyes narrowed. Before he could even utter a single syllable, Snape whispered hotly:

“You will stay in bed for the remainder of the night. Should you have the audacity to try to set just one foot on the ground, I swear to you that you will get intimately acquainted with the words ‘severe’ and ‘ punishment’. “

At Harry’s open-mouthed stare, he just barked: “Am I understood?”

Hastily, Harry stammered an affirmative whereupon Snape shot him a final glare and turned around in a flurry of billowing black robes. Without looking back, he shut the door and Harry was once again engulfed in the room’s inky darkness.

To be continued...