Harry was running through the forest, the light of the moon filtering through the trees showed only patches between tree trunks and bushes, he was tired but couldn’t stop to rest, something was after him, he could hear growling and felt the heavy footsteps. He kept looking around, he was sure it was near… he saw it, leaning against one of the trees, his broom. It was going to be hard to fly between the canopy of tree branches and leaves, but it would allow him to get out of the creature’s reach. He got on the broom and got ready to fly away. The broom flew but very low and slow. No more than three feet!

He recalled that the broom had the safety charms for toddlers! He pushed with his legs as if he were on water, the broom soared a little and took him up a tree, Harry hid between the branches. Just in time. The yellow eyed monster passed beside the tree, and stopped, smelling the air and moving his long ears around trying to catch his prey. Harry was not even sure that it was a Werewolf, but it did look like a gigantic Wolf. The creature’s ears stood up keenly and then ran away in the same direction it came. Harry let out his breath, he felt a little better... at least he was safe in the tree.... Then he heard barking, maybe that was why the Wolf went away.... He thought that he was going to be saved, the barking grew louder as it got closer to his tree, he could almost see the dog…. Then he froze… the barking was from ‘Ripper’ aunt Marge’s dog, he was terrified of that dog, well he thought, beside the Werewolf the dog was not so scary.... But the dog came with Uncle Vernon and even if Harry felt covered by the branches, both stood at the bottom of the tree. Uncle Vernon ordered him to come down, Harry did not want to go with him!, Harry tried to hide more and to untangle the broom..... At least he was out of their reach, he could stay there until someone else came, maybe the Werewolf would come back… then Uncle Vernon opened his briefcase and took out an axe and started hacking at the tree with it. At first Harry had thought that the tree would resist the assault, the trunk was wide, but it did not, he felt the shaking and then he lost his hold on a branch and fell down. No!

He woke in his soft warm bed. He couldn’t stop crying!

It had been a nightmare.

He tried to breath, glad that he was no longer at the Dursley’s, if he caused a racket and woke the family with his nightmares, his Uncle would give him a good beating, to teach him not to wake them.

Harry sat in his bed, he had stopped trembling but still felt shaken. He heard steps and looked up to see a dim light coming his way. Snape had a dark bathrobe but his pale face could be distinguished between his hair.

Harry started trembling again.

“I’m sorry, Sir…, I’m sorry, Sir…., I didn’t mean to…”

Snape heard the sobs and got closer.

“Are you all right child?”

“It was a nightmare… I’m sorry I woke you.”

Snape touched Harry’s forehead, and he flinched, but he couldn’t get away. Snape felt that he was sweating. He placed the light on the night table and it glowed a bit brighter. It was a small sphere.

“It’s all right, child. Take deep breaths. You are safe here. Nothing can harm you in your bed.”

Harry heard the soft voice and followed the instructions and a soft hand was patting his leg. After a few moments he felt better. He opened his eyes and saw Snape’s concern.

“I’m sorry I woke you up, Sir.”

“Do not be sorry for things out of your control, Mr. Potter. Do you feel better now?”

“Yes, Sir.”

Harry kept sitting in the bed, he was shaken but felt safe again.

“Do you want to talk about the nightmare, Mr. Potter?”

He was learning that the Potions Master had a calming voice.

“It was something foolish, professor.”

“Nightmares are very smart, child, they play with all your fears and leave you without a way out. What was it about?”

Harry felt that he needed to say it, he had to share his fears.

“That thing in the forest, it was after me, and I found my broom but it wouldn’t fly high, you had placed the safety charms… but I could hide up a tree, the creature left, but…. then Uncle Vernon arrived and wanted me to get down… he cut the tree!”

“Were you safe in that tree?”

“Yes, but only for a moment, it was away from the monster, but Uncle Vernon…. He had only an axe!”

Snape sat in the rocking chair, Harry had seem him there so many times that he was going to start thinking of it as Snape’s chair.

“There is a muggle technique, Mr. Potter, to deal with bad dreams and nightmares. You need to think in a way to change the story to your benefit.”

“How, Sir?”

“Think what you could do to stop your Uncle hacking at your tree”

“I could throw down some branches or… could I use magic, Sir?”

“It’s your dream, child.”

“I could remove the axe from his hands with an expelliarmus and then I could bind him and Ripper, Ripper is a dog, he looks small but his teeth are like pins! Then I would throw a cage over the creature of the forest. And I… I would use the broom to get down the tree and walk back home.”

“Beware of the Potions Professor, if you left the wards and placed yourself in danger, Mr. Potter.”

Harry looked at Snape thinking on a way to change that. He should have been very drowsy because he smiled and said.

“I guess that you would not be too happy, but you would take the broom away, tend to my scrapes and then give me some ice cream.”

“Do not count on the ice cream, Mr. Potter.”

“It’s my dream Professor.”

Harry thought that it was an effect of the light, but he thought that Snape smiled, then he messed Harry’s hair and said.

“It’s your dream, Mr. Potter. Do you feel better?”

“Yes, Sir. I need the bathroom.”

Snape parted the covers and Harry went to the bathroom. When he went back he found Snape still in his chair, beside the light there was a glass of milk. Harry sat on his bed and Snape said.

“Here, Mr. Potter, warm milk, it will help you to sleep.”

“Thank you, Sir.”

“Get back in bed. Do you want me to stay with you?”

“No, thank you, Sir.” Snape stood up and was about to take the sphere of light with him, when he saw Harry looking a it. He touched it and dimmed the light, leaving it at the night table. Then he left the room.

“Good night, Child”

****

Harry woke up refreshed, he did not had any more nightmares that night. He was up and ready when Snape knocked at his door.

They had breakfast in the dining room.

“How did you sleep, Mr. Potter?”

“Very well, thank you, Sir. I’m sorry I woke you.”

“Don’t be, Mr. Potter. I’m glad that the nightmare technique worked. Have more raisins with your cereal....”

“Yes, Sir.” Harry poured milk in his bowl and started eating. He looked at Snape and decided to ask him.

“May I fly today, Sir?”

Snape had taken a Potion Magazine and was reading it, he looked up and said:

“Not this week, Mr. Potter.” Of course not Potter, Harry told himself, you can not go disobeying your guardian and hoping to be allowed to fly the very next day.

Snape almost read his words, for the way his face fall.

“The wards must be adapted, so you won’t be seen or be in danger. Mr. Potter, I have made arrangements, but you’ll have to wait until next week. You may go out to the yard if you want. I’ll be working on my plants.”

“May I help you, Professor?”

“If you feel like it, Mr. Potter.”

Harry helped him for a while, after almost two hours Snape saw that he was getting tired.

“Mr. Potter, beside the house there is a small shed, please go inside and bring out here the object that is in the middle of the room.”

“What is it, Sir?”

“You’ll know when you see it, Potter it’s the only thing that is not inside a box.”

Harry went to the shed and opened it, he waited until his eyes adjusted at the change of light. He saw something in the middle, it was bulky, he got close and found that it was a bicycle. What did Snape wanted with a bike? He rolled it out and took it to Snape.

Harry stood beside him quietly. Snape had felt him arrive and had waited for a comment. He turned and saw the boy looking at the bicycle.

“Well, Mr. Potter, what did you found?”

“It’s a bike, Sir.”

“I am amazed as always by your power of observation, Mr. Potter.” He did not turn but kept pruning the plants.

“What do you want me to do with it, Sir?” Harry was used to Snape comments. The bike looked well, not even dirty, should he place it somewhere else? Harry did not really like bikes, they brought him painful memories.

“It depends on what you want to do with it, Potter. Would you be able to ride it around the property and be back in time for lunch?”

Snape was expecting Harry to smile and disappear from his sight on the bike. Instead he saw the boy’s face fell.

“No, Sir.” The boy looked a little mortified.

“You can’t be back for lunch, Mr. Potter? In that case take some fruit from the kitchen with you and take your time coming back keep inside the stone walls.”

“I didn’t mean that ,Sir. I meant that I can’t ride the bike.” Harry couldn’t explain why he was so angry. Maybe dreaming about Uncle Vernon… Uncle Vernon would tempt him like that… leaving the bike on his way and then punishing him for even looking at it… and then his cousin and his friends laughing at him because he was a freak and couldn’t even ride a bike…!

“You cant? But you….” Snape did not finished the statement. Harry turned red and said.

“I don’t know how! I was not allowed near my cousin’s bike! My relatives would never waste their time teaching a freak like me! You may tell everyone in Hogwarts how warped I am, being 11 and not knowing how to ride a bike… I had never seen a flying broom either..!”

Harry ran inside the house, leaving the bike standing beside Snape.

Snape had been holding a small spade and felt like hitting himself in the head with it. He had planned to give the boy a treat. The child needed exercise and fresh air. He had never thought that he had never ridden a bike! Or that he had been traumatized by his relatives!

In normal circumstances he would have called the boy back and given him a thorough tongue lashing. Shouting and stamping his feet like a two year old! Potter would hope his ears would fall before the end. It was not something that he should permit. On the other hand, the brat looked hurt, it had not been rebellion nor cheek, what was this about a bike that made the child so… vulnerable?

Snape finished with his plants and watered them. He needed to give time to the child, to calm down and to simmer in his own juice. May be he could get some answers, then.

He took the leaves he cut to his lab and went inside the house. He cleaned his hands and was ready to look for his ward. He found Potter in his study room. Guilt all over his face. Biting on his quill.

Harry had two opened books in front of him, several crumpled parchments were scattered in the floor around him and was writing in an other.

“So you decided to start with your homework, Mr. Potter?” Snape could see Harry flinch.

“Yes, Sir.”

“Making progress?”

“Not much, Sir.”

Snape took one of the books and read the name, he placed it back opened on the table.

“History of Magic, Potter?”

“Yes, Sir.” Harry had chosen the most boring subject as self-punishment.

“Lunch will be ready in twenty minutes.”

“Thank you, Sir.” Harry was glad that Snape did not looked angry and that he was going to be allowed to eat. He knew he would have to apologize for the outburst, Snape may make him wait until after lunch for the “talk”.

Snape sat in a nearby chair. He picked up one of the crumpled papers in the floor and un-crumpled it in front of him with his hand.

“You know, Mr. Potter, Professional ethics forbid me to speak bad about my colleagues, but in the case of History of Magic….. the history is so ancient that it could not even seem a fairy tale. It should be tied around Muggle History to be more…. Actual. If it were more actual you would learn that a lot of magical children do not know what a bicycle is. Consequently not many learn how to ride one.

It’s looked at as a muggle contraption and the few Wizard parents that know about them do not introduce them to their children lives, as they do not understand the mechanics involved and they are considered dangerous. Also they may only be acquired in muggle stores with muggle money. So even if I were interested in doing it, it would be ineffective to spread the news about your lack of knowledge in Hogwarts. Only the Muggle born would know what I would be talking about.” Snape stood up and paced in front of him. “Not that I would be inclined to discuss you or anything that transpires between us this summer.”

Snape continued, as he saw that Harry was digesting his words.

“I guess that I should have asked you before hand if you were familiar with bicycles and if you would like to ride it Mr. Potter. I am only starting to know you, as you are also getting acquainted with me. In no way was my intention to make you feel bad or humiliate you about it, or to bring you bad memories. I would never do anything to demean or humiliate you.

At this moment I understand that something related to the bicycle upsets you. And you have two options, you need to decide if you would like to try the bike, go around whatever upsets you and if you are interested, I may help you to learn how to ride it.

Or not, it may as well go back to its place in the shed with no harm done. You’ll find other entertainment outside until you can fly your broom. However I want you to remember the rules we discussed yesterday.”

He turned and placed himself in front Harry. He was looking him in the eye when he continued.

“As I told you yesterday, you should respect me. That involves being polite. If you do not think that you are old enough to stop throwing tantrums, I won’t deem you too old to be sent to a corner or to be given a smacking like I would do to a 5 year old after a behavior like yours in the garden, Potter. This is your first and only warning about it.”

Harry felt a cold shiver, he better take heed of this warning.

“I’m sorry, Sir. I shouldn’t have shouted. It’s just that… I’m sorry…”

“You may express your feelings, Potter, just do it in a controlled manner.”

Harry stop pretending that he was writing, he turned to the professor, he had bad memories and had thought that Snape was mocking him, he should expect different, he had always wanted to ride a bike so he said.

“Would you really teach me, Sir?”

At last, the sparkle that Snape was looking for.

“If that is what you want, Mr. Potter. Wash your hands, we will try it after lunch.”

***

Harry had seen his cousin learn how to ride a bike, so he thought that for him, with all his flying experience, it would be easy.

He was wrong, it was not only a matter of equilibrium, not very much like flying while pedaling. So many things happened at the same time, that he felt confused.

Harry stood up after falling for the umpteenth time, and felt thankful that Snape had insisted that he wore the protection that they bought at the Quidditch store, without them he would have at least knee and elbow scraps.

Snape had told him after lunch to go back to the yard. Snape took the bike and started explaining how the handlebars were used for the equilibrium, and that he should move them right or left to keep straight, then the brakes, and how he should be careful, and try to use them both at the same time. Then he explained that he had to pedal.

Harry knew that Dudley had learned without so much explanations, but stood quiet and paid attention, after being in Potion class with Snape for the last two years he knew better than to let his mind wander. He heard it all, and realized that the Sour Professor was making a real effort to explain the mechanics of bike riding, but just as in potions, at the end, he realized that he had not a clear idea about what he needed to do.

Snape un-shrunk the protection gear and insisted that Harry had to wear them. Harry felt foolish, how dangerous would it be to ride a bike? He started complaining that they were too tight and that he could hardly move.

“Mr. Potter, you are one whine away from a smacking. You either wear them or get back in the house to finish your homework!” After this Harry was convinced that he had no option and put the elbow and knee guards, as well as the helmet.

Now slapping his pants and legs to remove the dust he was thankful of Snape's foresight.

May be it was not foresight at all, may be he had just been realistic. Harry was too foolish to learn to ride a bike. Children usually learn being 5 or 6 years old…!

Snape walked closer and pulled the bike to rights.

“May I try one more time, Sir?” Harry had asked Snape that since his first fall.

“As many as necessary, Child.” Was Snape answer every time.

“But I do not want to stop you from what you have to do. I would understand if you need to do something else. I may keep practicing. Alone. Sir.”

“If the moment arrives where I need to do something else, I would inform you, Mr. Potter. For now this is all I have to do.”

“Thank you, Sir.”

“Climb back in the contraption and hold on to the steering handles. I will hold your seat while you pedal. We’ll start slowly.”

Snape had seen some parents do that while teaching young kids.

Harry had seen Uncle Vernon do it for Dudley.

None of them had thought it appropriate to mention this method, as it was some kind of father/son thing.

But after all the failures Snape thought that Harry needed to succeed. It was a last chance, at least until he thought of something else. He was not, after all, opposed to hexing muggle inventions.

He took the seat of the bike and felt Harry’s nervousness. The child was afraid of failing.

“I’m holding you now.” Harry pedaled and for the first time felt that the bike was obeying him, he felt that the movement of his legs was being responded to. Then he steered down the path, a slight weight on the bike reassured him that an adult hand was helping him to stay up. Then the weight disappeared and he felt free. He speeded a little and braked being able to place his feet in the path. Stopping without falling. Snape reached him instants latter. Harry looked at him beaming.

“I did it! I did it! Sir.”

“Indeed you did, Mr. Potter. Want to try again?”

“Yes, Sir. Thank you, Sir.”

“Turn the bike around, Mr. Potter.” That was when Harry realized that they had gone at least 30 yards into the path, he felt like after his first fly on a broom.

Snape held to the seat again, but this time he let it go sooner. Harry had felt the bike respond and now was learning to use it. He found that it was not so difficult to maintain the equilibrium and speed with the pedals. He increased the speed, then he saw it, a big stone was in his way, he remembered that he had crashed it before and pulled at the brakes, he stopped before hitting it.

Snape had seen the stone and got his wand out to cushion Harry’s fall. He was glad to see that it was not necessary. Harry was a bit shaken but still smiling.

“Well, Mr. Potter, how do you like this bike?”

“Thank you for teaching me, Sir. I think that I can do it alone now.”

Snape felt a pang in his stomach, it took him a moment to realize that he regretted that the boy no longer needed his help.

“Keep cycling around here. Don’t go too far in case you need assistance, Mr. Potter.”

“Yes, Sir.”

Snape went to work in his lab, from the window he could see the boy pedaling on the path, he saw the confidence increase in the child. He had almost run out twice when he thought the boy was falling. But the boy kept on it until he looked like he was born knowing how to ride, just as he looked on a broom.

Harry felt starved by dinner time. Snape saw him take seconds, for the first time since staying at the Manor, that was healthy. Madam Pomfrey had asked to check on Potter in a fortnight. She said that the child was a little underweight but not really malnourished or anemic. Hogwarts food during the term had prevented that. Even though she asked him to feed him as well as possible. After the examination they would define if he needed to keep taking the supplement.

Snape watched the boy, they had not eaten together a week but he noticed changes, the boy was relaxed, not as if he was expecting to be shouted at, it was the first time that Harry had started eating before Snape. It was good that the boy had exercised.

“There is still daylight, Sir. May I ride the bike for another hour?”

“No, Mr. Potter, you had enough practice for today, there is no need for you to get over tired.”

Harry kept looking at his plate.

“May I ride the bike tomorrow, Sir?”

“Yes, Mr. Potter, after breakfast, you must keep wearing the protection.”

“But, Sir, I got the hang of it now….”

“You will also wear it if you want to fly your broom, Potter, so get used to the idea.”

“Yes, Sir.” Harry pouted a little. But it soon disappeared, he scolded himself, here was an adult caring for him, he had always wanted that.

After dinner, Harry took a bath, and went to bed, he was tired, he knew that he had dreamed but in the morning he did not remembered the dreams.