Severus felt an enormous migraine coming on as he gazed furiously at his wayward ward, who seemed determined to drive him to insanity with his recklessness and disobedience. He carefully pinched the bridge of his nose and began to recite several potion recipes in his head, struggling to control his hair-trigger temper. Never had he felt so close to the edge of his control, so prone to lashing out at the messy-haired young daredevil who stood before him, giving him a rather lopsided guilty half-smile. Severus was torn between grabbing Harry and squeezing him to death and grabbing him and tanning his backside. That he did neither was a testament to his hard-won control over his emotions. Instead, he allowed his stance and the volcanic expression in his eyes to speak for his current emotional state.

Harry flinched. "Umm . . . sir? I . . . I . . .err . . ."

"Mr. Potter," began the Potions Master, in a very tightly controlled voice. "I would suggest that you close your mouth and join your classmates at the bottom of the staircase at once. You are in violation of several school rules, not to mention my own personal rules as well. Move!"

Harry shut his mouth with a snap and did as he was told, hurrying past the fuming professor and down the stairs.

Severus billowed after him, still reciting recipes. Skull was perched upon his shoulder, and for once the raven had no cheeky comments to make. Perhaps he sensed how close to the edge his wizard was and figured silence was the better part of valor.

Harry found Ron, Neville, and Draco all waiting at the bottom of the Astronomy Tower, each of them looked very apprehensive and Neville looked close to passing out. Before he could say anything to them, the professor had approached and said frostily, "You will all accompany me to the Headmaster's office."

The boys gulped and exchanged horrified glances. But they followed the Head of Slytherin without protest.

"Merlin, I think . . . we're gonna be expelled!" Ron moaned very quietly. "My mum's gonna kill me!"

"Quiet!" Severus snapped harshly.

Ron clamped his mouth shut.

Harry wondered where Hermione was, if she had managed to escape Snape's eagle eye. He hoped so. He already felt guilty about involving Neville, Ron, and even Draco in his dragon returning scheme. He was afraid to even think about what might happen to him now. This was even worse than the time he and Malfoy had dueled in the dungeon corridor.

Ron was trying frantically to come up with a plausible reason why they had all been on top of the Astronomy Tower, out of bed, with a baby Pendragon. But he could not manage to come up with any sort of excuse that made the least bit of sense, and his nerves were shot after what had gone on that night. He had come close to being a dragon's chew toy, and the only thing he could think about—besides the wrath of Molly—was that something had happened to Charlie's friends. He hoped they hadn't met up with the mother Pendragon and that had been why they were late arriving.

Draco was trembling inwardly, hoping that the Headmaster took pity on them and didn't put the escapade on their permanent record. He didn't think Dumbledore would expel them, though he did fear that his Head would inform his mother of this latest transgression and this time Narcissa might even tell Lucius. He was almost certain that Severus would, once the Headmaster was through with them, take him into his office for a session with the paddle. He shuddered, not even wanting to think about it, but unable to stop.

Neville was whiter than a sheet and trembling at the mere thought of what the Headmaster, McGonagall, and his Gran Augusta would say or do. He could never recall being in this much trouble before, and prayed that one of the adults was merciful. He knew better than to hope that Professor Snape would be, not for something as major as this. The man looked like he wanted to breathe fire like the Pendragon, and at any moment, Neville expected to see rivulets of smoke drift from his nostrils.

Upon reaching the gargoyle statue, Snape hissed the password and they all took the revolving stairs to Dumbledore's office. Once inside, Severus ordered them all to stand in front of the Headmaster's desk.

They all shuffled into line, feeling like prisoners about to get sentenced, and Severus stood behind them with his arms crossed, radiating disapproval. "Skullduggery, will you please find Professor Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall, and tell them to meet me here?"

"At once, sir!" croaked the raven, bobbing his head in a gesture of respect before flying off the Potion Master's shoulder and out the partially opened window.

Skullduggery knew he could re-enter the castle through the Owlery window, and so find the two professors that way.

A pregnant silence descended upon the office, broken only by the soft ticking of Dumbledore's ancient wall clock and the snores of some of the former Headmasters' portraits.

Harry fought to keep still, he knew that his guardian was probably wishing he had never laid eyes on him, or agreed to look out for him, and he locked his knees together to keep them from shaking. He feared he wouldn't live to see twelve and wished that the other professors would hurry up and get there already. What was taking them so long?

Several moments of eternity later, the office door opened to admit Professor Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall, with Hermione in tow, Skull flying like a harbinger of doom over her head. Dumbledore's ever present twinkle was absent from his eyes and he looked very solemn and sorrowful. McGonagall looked quite angry and stern. Hermione looked scared to death.

Severus raised an eyebrow when he caught sight of Hermione. "You too, Miss Granger?"

"Filch found her at the bottom of the Astronomy Tower and brought her back to Gryffindor Tower just before all hell broke loose," Minerva informed her colleague. "When I questioned her, she admitted to aiding these miscreants." She pointed and said, "You may join your classmates, Granger."

Hermione, her head hanging, walked over to join the others. Harry thought he caught the shimmer of tears on her lashes.

Harry couldn't blame her for crying. He would have shed a few tears too, but he didn't want the others to think he was a crybaby coward or anything.

Once they were all presented, the Headmaster said, with a sigh of disappointment, "It has come to my attention that all of you were out of bed tonight, and all save Hermione risked your lives on top of the Astronomy Tower attempting to fight an enraged mother Pendragon. Would you care to explain how this came about?" Dumbledore turned and looked at Draco. "Mr. Malfoy?"

Draco swallowed hard. "Sir, it's complicated . . ."

"Breaking rules often are," put in Severus sarcastically.

"It was my fault," Harry spoke up, determined to not to let his friends—and despite everything Draco was now his friend—take the blame for him. "I found a dragon egg and decided to . . . keep it."

"You found a Pendragon egg?" Dumbledore repeated. "They are the rarest of species. Where did you find it?"

"Near the Forbidden Forest." Harry murmured.

"It . . . wasn't all Harry's fault," Neville said, his voice squeaking. "We all of us agreed to help him raise it."

"Is that true?" Dumbledore queried, and was met by the other four children nodding.

"How in Merlin's name did you know how to raise a dragon, Potter?" frowned Minerva.

"We . . . we read some books from the library," Hermione explained.

"Naturally," Severus scowled, though ordinarily he would have been proud of his ward's research abilities. "What were you all doing out of bed at midnight atop the Astronomy Tower? Teaching the dragonet how to fly?"

"Uh . . . sort of." Harry hedged. "We . . . we weren't expecting the mama dragon to . . . err . . . find Viv that way."

"Viv?" Dumbledore raised an eyebrow.

"That's what we named her, sir. Viviane, after the Lady of the Lake," Ron informed him. "It was Hermione's idea."

"Viviane, that's a good name," The Headmaster chuckled, horrifying his two professors. Both of them glared pointedly at him. "A baby Pendragon, of all things! Oh, well . . . are you all aware that raising a dragon is against Ministry Law?" he attempted to sound stern again, though he didn't quite manage it.

All of them looked down at their feet.

"I know Mr. Malfoy is," Severus said, his voice silky with disapproval. "He's made a study of dragons."

"And you know better as well, Ronald Weasley," McGonagall snapped. "Your older brother Charlie is a dragon tamer. What on earth were all you thinking?"

"That a baby dragon would make a cool pet," Skullduggery replied, sounding like a small child.

"Undoubtedly," growled Severus. "I highly suspect none of you ever thought about what might happen if the mother of your dragonet returned suddenly, now did you?"

"No, sir." Hermione whispered.

"We . . . we thought the mother must be dead," Neville added.

"Killed by poachers, because otherwise the egg wouldn't have just been left there," Draco stated.

"We couldn't just leave it to be eaten by . . . by something," Harry defended.

"Then why did you not contact a teacher, Potter?" demanded Minerva.

"Because . . . we knew you'd never let us keep her," he admitted softly.

"And rightly so! Do you know that you could have died tonight—all of you and not only you, but your classmates in Gryffindor and Ravenclaw Tower as well! That dragon could have brought the castle crashing down around our heads!" scolded the Deputy Headmistress sharply.

"You all behaved extremely foolishly . . . like a pack of brainless sheep!" Severus declared furiously. "When the mother dragon came here, why did you not call for help? Why did you attempt to fight her, Misters Potter and Malfoy?"

"It . . . there wasn't time . . ." began Harry lamely.

"She attacked us so fast all we had time to do was Summon our brooms, sir," Draco told his professor.

"It never occurred to you geniuses to leave the baby atop the tower and go back inside?" sneered the Potions Master.

"We weren't sure if the big dragon would hurt Viv," Ron said.

Both McGonagall and Severus shook their heads in disgust.

"So, not only do you harbor an endangered species illegally, you nearly get roasted by a dragon, and are out of bed as well. It is clear to me that you are irresponsible and reckless, not to mention disobedient." Severus continued.

"Are . . . are you going to . . . expel us, sir?" quivered Neville.

Before Severus could open his mouth, Dumbledore said, "Not for this, Neville. However, both Professor Snape and Professor McGonagall will hand out detention and take points for your little . . . adventure."

"How many?" Harry queried.

"Fifty points." Minerva said crisply. "Each."

"Each!" The Gryffindors and Draco wailed.

"In addition to that, all of you shall have detention next week doing what I have yet to decide, and sit in your common room with my dunce cap on your head for an hour. One night for each of you." Minerva continued. "I am shocked and ashamed that you have behaved as you did."

"But . . . but professor . . . what about the House Cup?" wailed Ron.

"What about it, Mr. Weasley?" she asked frostily. "Gryffindor will lose unless a miracle occurs."

All of the Gryffindors looked shocked and felt terribly guilty.

Draco looked pale too, for he knew his Housemates would not be pleased with the loss of fifty points at all.

"Furthermore, you shall all be serving various detentions from me," interjected Severus. He swept them all with a glare that made them cringe. "Longbottom, you shall be serving detention with me tomorrow afternoon at two o'clock, harvesting stinkweed, and Sunday cleaning fire crabs."

"Yes, sir." Neville said, not able to look the professor in the eye.

"Weasley, you shall be scrubbing my classroom floor tomorrow and mulching Professor Sprout's vegetable patch with dragon dung on Sunday."

Ron made a face, then nodded. He knew better than to protest, seeing the state Snape was in.

Severus turned to Hermione. "Miss Granger, you shall be banned from the library for the weekend." He ignored Hermione's gasp of dismay. "Perhaps some time away from books will enable you to think about what you should have done upon finding the dragon egg. You shall also come to my classroom at ten o'clock tomorrow morning and on Sunday. You will first write an essay for me on the danger you put yourself and your friends in and what you should have done instead; the next day you shall be cleaning out the cabinet in the back of my classroom."

"Yes, Professor Snape. I'm sorry."

"As you ought to be." Then he turned to Draco and Harry, his scowl even more pronounced. "As for you two, I shall tell you about your detention tomorrow morning. Be in my office at 8 AM, Malfoy, and you, Potter, at 8:30, sharp."

Both boys murmured agreement, unsure if that were a good or bad thing.

"Why, Severus!" exclaimed Minerva. "I've never known you to wait when you issue detention."

"This time, Minerva, I need to think of a suitable punishment for Malfoy and Potter." Her colleague answered grimly. "But rest assured, they will regret their actions as much as the others."

"Next time, children, might I suggest you think before you act?" Dumbledore said. "If you had all been killed, your families would have grieved endlessly. You are dismissed. Go to bed."

McGonagall herded her Gryffindors, all save for Harry, out the door and Severus did the same for Draco and Harry.

They did not speak as they headed down to the dungeons. Malfoy slipped inside the Slytherin portrait hole without even looking up at Harry. He knew he would not sleep at all the rest of the night, imagining Severus informing Narcissa of this latest fiasco. He wasn't sure which was worse, his mother returning to Hogwarts to discipline him or Snape doing so with the paddle in the desk drawer.

Harry remained silent as he walked leadenly towards Snape's quarters. But once they were inside, he could remain silent no longer. "Uncle Severus, please let me explain . . . I didn't mean to . . . break all those rules . . . it's just, one thing led to another and . . ."

"Harry, enough!" Severus spun on him, setting his hands on the boy's shoulders and giving him a brisk shake. "I do not wish to discuss what you have done any longer, I am on my last nerve tonight. Go to bed immediately, no back talk."

"Yes, sir." Harry bit his lip hard and turned away, fighting back tears. He wondered if Severus would ever forgive him.

"Wait."

Harry turned back, a glimmer of hope fluttering in his chest.

"Sit down on the sofa and let me tend your hands." His guardian ordered gruffly.

Harry had quite forgotten about his burned palms until Severus reminded him.

Severus summoned a basin of water, soft cloths, and some burn-healing paste. He thoroughly yet gently cleansed, salved, and wrapped his ward's hands, working in silence. He then insisted Harry drink a pain reliever and go to bed.

Harry obeyed, slowly undressing and changing into pajamas. Skull fluttered into his room and perched upon the bedpost. Harry looked at the raven and whispered, "I'm really sorry, Skull. Do you think he'll ever forgive me?"

"I do not know. What you did was not only stupid and reckless, but scared him—and me—half to death. Sev is as furious as I've ever seen him, and rightly so. You are in serious trouble, bran-boy."

"I know." Harry sighed gustily.

Skullduggery abruptly flew over to the boy and pecked him sharply on the top of the head.

"Ow! Skull, that hurt!" Harry yelped, rubbing his sore head.

"That is what my mother would have done to me if I had behaved so, young one. Tried to knock some sense into your foolish head," the raven croaked. "You ought to be ashamed of yourself, boy, sneaking about in the dead of night, lying, and risking your silly little neck. You almost gave me a heart attack!" He gave Harry another peck, though this one wasn't quite as hard.

"All right already! I've learned my lesson, now leave off." Harry groaned. "I'm sorry."

"Are you truly? You shall be even sorrier tomorrow morning, I'd wager." Skull warned.

"Tell me something I don't know."

"Sev is watching you from the doorway and if you're not in bed by the time the clock strikes, he'll come in and tie you to the bed," Skull snapped.

Harry quickly climbed into bed, pulling the covers up to his chin, and facing the wall. Tomorrow could wait, as far as he was concerned. He heard Skull leave and the door close. Tears welled in his eyes and dripped unnoticed onto his comforter, having both his guardian and Skull angry at him hurt terribly. It took him forever to fall asleep.

Page~*~*~*~*~Break

Severus methodically went about getting ready for bed, he felt every one of his thirty-two years tonight and then some. He quickly swallowed a Headache Remedy then went and lay down, a cool damp cloth soaked in lavender and cucumber infused water over his eyes. He felt Skull perch lightly upon his chest, heard the raven start crooning one of his familiar lullabies.

"Thank you."

"You look like you need a stiff drink, Sev," the raven cawed.

"If I started drinking now, Skullduggery, I'd never stop," snorted the wizard. "Being drunk, no matter how good it might feel, won't help my situation with Harry. Drunk or sober, he's bound to drive me insane. I still cannot believe that he had the sheer nerve to . . . to challenge a mother dragon like that!" There was reluctant admiration in Severus' tone.

"Me neither! I thought for sure that he was going to end up down her gullet. Spirits of my ancestors!"

"There is no doubt about it, but he has inherited his father's recklessness in full measure . . . as well as his crazy courage. James Potter never really bothered to count the odds. Sometimes that worked in his favor, but other times . . ." Severus shook his head. "When I agreed to the guardianship, I knew it would not be easy, keeping watch over him, but I never expected this! He has enough unknown enemies, must he continue to risk his life on his own as well? When will he ever learn?"

"Perhaps when he's thirty?"

"Humph! Very funny, Skull. Though I'm beginning to suspect you're right. I couldn't trust my temper tonight, Skull. That's why I decided to wait before I punished him. Or Draco. Otherwise I might have done more harm than good."

"That was wise, Sev. Punishments should never be handed out when you're blinded by anger." The raven advised. "Why don't you get some sleep?"

Severus yawned. "I shall." He banished the wet cloth, his headache had subsided. He turned over on his side and closed his eyes. Tomorrow was going to be a day from hell, and he wanted to be well-rested. He was not looking forward to it, detentions and punishment turned his stomach sour, but there had to be consequences, he would be damned if he allowed Harry to just 'get off' the way the Marauders had. At the same time he worried that he might be too harsh with the boy, he did not want to be like Harry's uncle. He tossed and turned all night, wrestling with his dilemma before finally falling asleep around three in the morning.

Page~*~*~*~*~Break

8:30 AM, Saturday morning

Snape's office:

Harry waited to be summoned inside the professor's office, leaning nonchalantly against the wall, or so it would have seemed to the casual observer. If you had looked closely, however, you would have seen signs that the boy was wretchedly nervous; he had bitten his nails down to the quick, and chewed his bottom lip to shreds as well. His clothes had been hastily tossed on that morning, his shirt was rumpled and his jeans bore creases in them, one shoelace was untied and he had left his robe in his room, figuring it was a weekend so he didn't need to wear it. His hair looked as if it had never seen a comb and his green eyes were glazed from lack of sleep and dread.

The office door opened and Draco emerged, his eyes puffy and red-rimmed, looking chastened but trying to keep a stiff upper lip, as befitted an aristocrat.

Harry saw right through it. "You okay?"

Draco snorted. "Just brilliant, can't you tell?"

Harry shook his head. "Did he . . . err. . . ?"

"What do you think, Potter?" The Slytherin grimaced.

"I'm sorry." Harry felt compelled to apologize.

Malfoy rolled his eyes. "Oh, please! Don't get a guilt complex, you idiot Gryffindor. We all knew what we did was forbidden. We knew if we got caught, there'd be hell to pay. We got caught and now we're paying. End of story."

Harry blinked, shocked that Draco was actually taking the blame for his own actions. "Oh. Right. Where are you going?"

"Breakfast. I'll need to eat before I have to start scrubbing the toilets," the other admitted with another grimace. "God, but I hate cleaning things without magic. I feel like a bloody house elf!"

"I know the feeling," Harry murmured. "Think the rest of the school will learn about the point deduction?"

"Probably. They'll see as soon as they leave the hall," Draco said morosely. "I'll be lucky if my Housemates don't drown me." He turned to go, adding over his shoulder, "Better get in there, Potter. If Snape has to come and get you, it'll be worse."

Heaving a sigh that seemed to come from the bottom of his shoes, Harry turned the handle and entered the office. His stomach was now doing flipflops as he faced his guardian.

Severus did not look as menacing as last night, but that wasn't saying too much. Harry swallowd hard and forced himself to look Severus in the eye. He was ashamed and apprehensive, but he refused to cower before the professor. As Draco had said, he had known beforehand that what he did was wrong, and now he'd been caught and there was going to be hell to pay.

"So, Mr. Potter. You thought you'd play animal rescuer and raise a baby dragon," Severus began, his tone sharp with sarcasm. "How very enterprising and noble of you. Did you give any thought at all about what would have happened had your dragonet flamed you? One of your friends? Well? Are you going to play mute or answer me?"

"I . . . I did think of that, sir." Harry spoke softly, his throat gone dry. "But we . . . we figured we could . . . teach her not to. Viv was . . . very smart. She learned things quickly. Hermione taught her all kinds of commands and Draco taught her not to chew things, like Hagrid's boots . . . uh . . ." Too late he realized his blunder. He had now implicated Hagrid in his scheme.

"So Hagrid was involved in this too." Severus stated. "I suspected as much. You wouldn't have been able to hide the beast without help. And Hagrid has often said to me that he wished he could train a dragon."

"We . . . we made him swear to help us, Uncle Severus!" Harry said quickly.

Severus leaned over the desk quick as a snake striking, coming nearly nose to nose with Harry. "Don't make things worse by lying to me, young man!"

"I'm not, sir! I swear by . . . my mum's grave!" Harry stuttered a little. "We all swore an oath on our wizard's honor never to tell anyone about Viv, and we made Hagrid swear too before we showed him the egg."

Severus's eyes bored into his, but Harry did not look away. The Potions Master could tell he wasn't lying. At least not about this. He reseated himself. "So, you freely admit to breaking both Ministry law, the school laws about being out of bed, as well as my own rule about putting yourself in harm's way?"

"Yes, sir."

"What were you really doing atop the Astronomy Tower?"

"We were trying to . . . send Viv away somewhere she'd be able to grow up safe and sound."

"I see. Were you, perhaps, in contact with some dragon tamers?"

"Yes, Uncle Severus. But they never showed up. The mother dragon did."

"She must have been frantically searching for her baby all this time. How long did you have the baby Pendragon?"

"Uh . . . well, it took a week for the egg to hatch and I guess it was about a month or so."

"Hmm. Odd it took that long for her to track you. Unless she was Confunded." Severus mused. Then his expression hardened. "How many times must I tell you . . . never risk your life? First the troll and now this!"

"I just . . . wanted to draw her away from Nev and Ron and Draco."

"Why didn't you simply let the baby go to her?"

"Um . . . she was about to roast us and I thought we could . . . use Viv as insurance."

"Humph! So you elected instead to play chicken." Severus' hands tightened into white-knuckled fists. "Have you any idea what I felt when I saw you atop the Tower, weaving in and out between her claws, dodging her fire? I nearly had heart failure right there!"

"I know. I'm sorry."

"Are you? Then why, in Merlin's name, do you keep repeating the same mistake over and over?" Severus demanded, his voice rising slightly.

"I don't know." Harry mumbled.

"Suppose you think very hard about that today, while you are confined to your room?" Snape said coldly. "To add insult to injury, you lied to me for over a month about what you were doing with your free time. I trusted you to stay out of trouble and instead you were in it up to your damn neck! All this time I thought you were flying with your friends, studying or playing Quidditch, you were going behind my back and hiding an illegal animal. Is that how you keep your word, Harry James Potter? You have broken my trust with your irresponsible behavior and your lies, shown me that you cannot be trusted."

"No!" Harry sniffled. "I can be trusted, Uncle Severus! I just . . . didn't think everything through."

"No, you didn't. All you thought about was what you wanted, never mind it was forbidden!" Severus lectured sternly. "I hope you're happy now, young man! Was it worth it?"

Harry dropped his gaze to hide the burning tears in his eyes. "Not . . . really." He had loved Viv, but was now discovering that losing Severus' trust was a loss that cut him deeply. Then he whispered. "But I really did . . . love her."

Severus hardened his heart at the boy's sincere reply. He was not surprised at Harry's declaration. What boy would not love a baby dragon he had raised from the egg?

"That may be, but it shall not get you out of a well deserved punishment. First, you are restricted to your room for the rest of the morning, until twelve o'clock, when you shall accompany me to the Astronomy Tower, and assist me and Professor Sinistra in repairing what the Pendragon destroyed as best you can. That will take the weekend. Your broom is mine for the rest of the term—you will be given it back only to play in matches. You are now under, as Muggles would put it, house arrest. Skullduggery shall accompany you to and from class and my quarters, you shall be back here directly after supper, permitted to see your friends only during class and for scheduled study periods here. You will go to bed at nine and are forbidden to be in the library unless accompanied by me. Last but not least, for putting yourself in harm's way, you'll be getting a sound spanking, as I promised. I am extremely disappointed in you, Mr. Potter."

Harry felt himself shrivel inside at those words, though he had been expecting them. His eyes widened as Severus' chair scraped across the floor as he pushed it away from the desk. Harry wondered if he were fetching the paddle, before recalling Severus telling him he would only use his hand. But the mere thought of the spanking made him squirm.

"Come here." Severus ordered, his voice devoid of emotion.

Harry obeyed, determined not to cry. He found himself bent over his guardian's lap, held firmly in place.

Severus began counting as he delivered three sharp smacks to the upturned bottom.

Harry's resolve lasted about two seconds then he was crying, more from the awful shame than from actual pain. You've broken my trust. Severus' words cut him like a whip, hurting more than the stinging in his behind. He'll never forgive me! Never!

Severus let the boy cry for a few moments, but when Harry showed no sign of ceasing, just lying there and sobbing, he lifted him up and stood him on his feet. "It's over. Harry, enough."

Harry refused to look him in the eye, instead he stared at the ground and tears splashed on his trainers.

Sighing, Severus drew him against his chest. "Child, it was three swats, not three hundred."

Harry gulped, trying to stem the flood. "M'not crying 'cause of that. Well . . . not only . . ."

"Oh? Then why?"

"'Cause you . . . hate me now and . . . and . . . I'm not . . . worthy to be your . . . ward . . ."

"Excuse me? Where did you ever get that notion?" Severus repeated incredulously. "I never said that!" He lifted the boy's chin and tilted his head up. "Look at me. I do not hate you, Harry James Potter. I am angry and disappointed, yes, but that does not mean I hate you."

"But you won't forgive me," he cried.

"Yes, I will. And I have," Severus told him gently. "You made a grave mistake but once you serve your punishment, we won't discuss it again."

"But you don't trust me anymore." Harry sniffled, dropping his eyes.

"No. You will have to earn my trust back. And that will take time." Severus said firmly. He tilted the boy's head back up. "Even so, you shall always be worthy to be my ward. No matter what you do or how aggravated you make me. I am not your uncle. I will never cast you aside."

"Promise?"

"Upon my wand and my Name." Severus said solemnly. Then he removed a handkerchief from his pocket. "Dry your eyes and blow your nose, youngling. Such dramatics! One would have thought I striped you raw with a belt."

Harry took the handkerchief and used it. He was a bit embarrassed, but supposed he could hardly be blamed for thinking Severus would never forgive him. His aunt and uncle never had. He surreptitiously rubbed his bottom, vowing not to get on Snape's bad side again . . . this term. Then he resolved to do his best to accept his punishment with good grace and win back the trust he had broken, so Severus could be proud of him once more. He wanted that more than anything.

"Go to your room, Harry." Severus ordered. "I shall send in an elf with your breakfast."

"Yes, Uncle Sev," murmured his ward, blowing his nose yet again. He turned to go.

"Next time behave."

"I'll try, sir."