"Thought I'd find you here, Potter," Malfoy drawled as he leaned against the statue guarding Professor Dumbledore's office. "You honestly think it's wise to tell them? They'll kill you, Potter. You do realize that, right?" The blond Slytherin then shook his head as he stared at him. "Come on, Potter. Don't do this. Just let it go. Let them continue to think that it was a fluke. You'll only end up making things worse."

"If you're worried about me mentioning you, then don't. I'm taking full blame for this."

"Oh, how brave of you, Potter," Malfoy drawled.

"Shove off, Malfoy," Harry growled. "Acid pops," he said towards the statue. As the phoenix slowly spiraled up with the staircase leading to the office, he briskly pushed past Malfoy and entered the Headmaster's office. Here goes nothing, he thought.

"Ah, Harry, my boy, what brings you here this early in the morning?" Professor Dumbledore said with a pleasant smile on his face as he sat behind his desk in his office.

"I was just wondering if it'd be possible if you could have Professors Snape and Sinistra come here."

"For what reason, my boy?" he asked with his eyebrows furrowing slightly.

"I think they need to hear the truth about what I did."

"I see, and you've thought this out?"

"Yeah, and they need to hear it. I hurt them both, and I just want to fix it now."

"Ah, it takes a great deal of courage to admit the truth, Harry. I myself would like to speak with them about a most troubling matter. Very well, but know that I will remain in here with you."

"Why?"

"My dear boy, you are admitting to two Slytherins that you tried to set them up together."

"Yeah, I guess you're right," Harry said with a soft smile. He watched Professor Dumbledore throw some of the Floo powder into his fireplace before calling out for the Astronomy Tower. A few seconds later, Professor Sinistra walked out of the emerald flames. Her dark eyes narrowed on Harry, but otherwise she said nothing before walking towards the desk. Harry kept his eyes on Professor Dumbledore, though. It seemed as if Snape wasn't answering.

"Hmm . . . Kali," Professor Dumbledore suddenly said as he stood back up. A little house elf popped in. "Please go to the dungeons and inform Severus that I wish him to come to my office at once." The house elf disappeared with a soft pop. However, she returned a few seconds later.

"Mr. Dark Wizard wishes Kali to inform Headmaster Master Dumbledore that Mr. Dark Wizard is indisposed at the moment," the small house elf squeaked.

"Indeed," Professor Dumbledore said with a faint smile. "Then inform Severus that it is not a request. If he still refuses, then bring him here, Kali, no matter what he says." The house elf was gone again.

"Forgive me, Headmaster, but I am to see Rufus this morning. Perhaps you could inform me as to why I am here and why we need Snape."

"I am afraid, my dear, that I will have to intrude upon your time."

"Albus, surely you can inform me of this later. I must be heading off to see—"

"Sit, Professor," he replied, glancing over his spectacles at her.

Harry then watched Professor Sinistra follow the Headmaster's order grudgingly. A soft pop then drew his attention once more. Harry's green eyes glanced towards the sound and widened at the sight of his potions professor. Snape wasn't wearing his familiar black robes. Instead, he wore a loose black t-shirt and black pants without his usual black boots. He had gauze wrapped around his left forearm, and Harry could see spots of blood leaking through. Snape also had numerous cuts to his face. As the older wizard limped towards the desk, Harry couldn't help but think that something bad had happened to Snape last night.

"He did this to you, didn't he?" Professor Sinistra growled from next to Harry.

"No. I had an unfortunate accident this morning in my quarters," Snape drawled, glancing at Harry.

"You're lying, Severus," she snarled.

"Then I'm in good company it seems," he replied with a curt bow of his head towards her.

"What on earth are you talking about?"

"You know precisely what I'm talking about, Sinistra," he growled, folding his arms across his chest. "You'll have to forgive me for my state of dress, Headmaster. I did not realize that Potter would be in attendance." His dark eyes then glanced towards Harry again. "What? Never seen blood before, Potter?"

"Yes, sir, I have. It's just . . . never mind," Harry said, shaking his head.

"Your concern is overwhelming, Mr. Potter," Snape drawled with a smirk.

"You appear to be in a good mood today, Severus," Professor Dumbledore said with a knowing look.

"Appearances can be deceiving, can't they, Professor Sinistra?"

"I wouldn't know anything about that. Now, perhaps you can tell us why we're all here?"

"You're both here because of me," Harry replied. "A few weeks ago, Snape gave me a detention because of something Ron had said."

"You deserved that detention, Potter," Snape responded, narrowing his eyes on him.

"Yeah, okay, fine, I deserved it, but I was later in the common room and thought that Professor Snape needed to fixate his attention on someone else for a change. Well, I started to think of various ways I could get him to do that, and I came up with the plan that he needed someone in his life."

"Why on earth am I here to hear this garbage, Headmaster?" Professor Sinistra interrupted. "As if I care about Snape and his non-existent personal life," she drawled. "I do have better things to do."

"What? Tripping down the stairs?" Snape replied, glancing at her.

Harry started to get the feeling that something else was going on, and that Snape wasn't paying attention to him. By now, he thought the man should have at least been snarling at him. However, Snape was rather calm with Harry. However, he was being a bear to Professor Sinistra, though. He glanced at Professor Sinistra and saw the anger in her face. Maybe Malfoy was right. Maybe this wasn't a good idea.

"You bastard," Professor Sinistra snarled. "I don't know what game you're playing, but shut up."

"Or you'll do what, Sinistra? Turn the other cheek?"

Seconds later, Professor Sinistra whipped her long silver wand out and shoved Snape against the wall. Her wand instantly went to his throat as she held him against it. She looked downright murderous. Harry watched the sight with a dropped mouth. He had never seen his Astronomy professor so angry before. Obviously, Snape had pushed the right buttons. Oddly enough fearing for Snape's life, Harry admitted the truth.

"I tried to set you up with Professor Sinistra!" Harry blurted out. It was the strangest thing he had ever seen in all his years at Hogwarts. Snape and Professor Sinistra both glanced at him. The anger had just vanished from their faces. Drawing in a breath, Harry thought he'd finish as long as he had their attention and Professor Sinistra wasn't trying to kill Snape. "That's why you're both here. I was angry with Snape for the detention so I thought that if I set him up with a witch he'd leave me alone. You were the only witch that came to mind that could put up with his crap so I thought you were the best witch for the job. I wrote an essay on love potions to get him thinking about settling down or something. I then asked Professor Dumbledore if we could have a dance, which he agreed. I then had Remus ask someone to go up to Professor Dumbledore when he was dancing with Professor Sinistra so that he'd make up an excuse to leave you two alone. I'm the reason you two danced last night. I honestly didn't know that I'd end up hurting you both, though. I just wanted Snape off my back."

"Do you have any idea what you've done?" Professor Sinistra asked Harry in a low and deadly voice.

Harry glanced towards Professor Dumbledore. Yes, Malfoy was definitely right. This was a very stupid idea. However, Snape didn't seem to want to kill him yet. It was only Professor Sinistra, strangely enough.

"Of course he doesn't, Sinistra," Snape replied calmly.

"Shut up, Severus," she snarled, pressing her wand deep into his throat.

"Is this how you plan to protect me?"

Harry watched in utter puzzlement when Professor Sinistra backed up like a wounded animal from Snape. He glanced towards the Headmaster and noticed the sadness in the older man's blue eyes. Something definitely was going on, and he just wasn't catching it. He saw his Astronomy professor look around wildly at them. She looked afraid of something, but there was anger underneath her dark eyes.

"Of all the foolish things for you to do, Sinistra, this has to be the worst. You're a damn good duelist, and you know it! You could have made that bastard beg for your mercy! Instead you became the one begging and pleading, and for what? Do you honestly believe that I give a damn what he does to me?" Snape asked with a strange look in his eyes. He then grabbed her upper arms and forced her to look at him. "Dammit, Aurora!" he yelled in frustration. "You are better than this! You are better than he is! Look at me. Look at me! Do you honestly believe I'd ever want you to protect me like this? That I'd want you harmed like this just so he didn't throw me in Azkaban or do even worse. Is that what you think?" She didn't respond, though. "My mother used to do the same damn thing. She used to try to protect me the same goddamn way! She thought if she took all the abuse all the pain that she was saving me. Do you think that it protected me? Do you think all the blood that she spilt saved me from his abuse? It didn't. You know that, Aurora. You know that all her attempts didn't make a damn bit of difference in the end. So why would you do the same goddamn thing?"

"Because I love you," Professor Sinistra whispered.

Harry quickly glanced towards Professor Dumbledore. He wondered if they should step in or at least go after Scrimgeour. However, the Headmaster made no motion to do either. He only remained statue-like, staring at Snape and Professor Sinistra. Harry did see the anger in the man's normally twinkling blue eyes, though.

"My mother also loved me, Sinistra," Snape replied quietly. "Do you think that stopped my father? Do you think that stopped him from beating her? Do you think her love for me stopped him when he beat her so severely that he shattered her skull against the kitchen counter?"

Harry glanced at the floor. Hearing about Snape's childhood certainly made him feel worse. No wonder the man was so angry with Professor Sinistra. He then glanced up to his two professors. He saw the tears streaking her cheeks as she stared at Snape.

"That was very foolish of you, Sinistra. I can protect myself. If Scrimgeour truly wishes to throw me in Azkaban or kill me, I have all the reason to defend myself against him. Have you ever known me to be fearful of another?" She shook her head. "I've lost two women that I loved, Aurora. Do not add a third to that list."

"Severus, I . . . I know what Azkaban does to you, though," she cried.

"I'd rather spend an eternity in Azkaban, then to know that you died because of me."

Harry watched Snape gently grab Professor Sinistra's right hand. He noticed the same time Snape did that the silver ring was gone. A somber smile spread across his face. Good for you, Professor, Harry thought. Hermione and the others were right. They did love each other. Here was his proof.

"I couldn't stand the bloody goddamn thing," Professor Sinistra whispered as she stared at her hand.

"Neither could I," Snape replied. "Albus," he said, glancing towards Professor Dumbledore. The two wizards stared at each other before the Headmaster nodded solemnly. "Mr. Potter, if you didn't like your first detention you received, then I'm sure you'll just love the next four months," he drawled with a smirk.

"Yes, sir," Harry replied glumly. With that, Snape whirled around and limped out of the room.