But this was not the time to go into thinking about all of that. Severus shook his head clear of those thoughts and turned to face his naughty child.

“Harry, explain yourself,” Severus said.

Always willing to be helpful Ron took a breath, “well we had to do something,”

“Thank you Mr Weasley,” Snape sneered, “but I believe I was talking to Harry.”

“I’m sorry sir,” Harry muttered with his head hung low.

“Did you not think that the other teachers and I weren’t doing what we could to fix the situation as soon as possible?” Severus said, “I was in the midst of getting information which you simply may have missed. Like exactly how Ginny got her hands on that diary so I could ascertain what kind of a problem we are encountering and kill that beast once and for all.”

“NO! Don’t kill it!” Harry whimpered. Ron turned his head at surprise at Harry’s sudden outburst.

“Harry, this is a very violent and dangerous dark creature and it needs to be removed and disposed of from the castle at the earliest possible convenience. The problem is how to get to it. But that is not a problem for you to worry about. All you need to be worrying about is being a good boy, getting good grades and behaving. Everything else is the problem of adults who have been in the magical community a lot longer than you and believe it or not know how to handle situations better than you do due to experience!”

“But how do I get that experience without at least trying?” Harry asked.

“Through years of education son, and simulation spells, education boy, which will not put you in the way of a harmful creature that might kill you! Where if you make a single mistake it could be the end, education allows you to make mistakes and still have control over the situation and put a stop to it if need be.”

At that point a green flame started in Snape’s fireplace. Everybody turned to see a very angry Molly Weasley emerge from the flame.

“Ronald what did I tell you about causing more mischief in the school? I fire-called Minerva McGonagall to find out that you have been running underneath the castle in a so called chamber of secrets, encountering a basilisk to save your sister! Now whilst I understand your reasons for wanting to do so Ronald I do not like the idea of one of my children being trapped in this chamber and another one of my children putting himself deliberately in harms way knowing that there was every chance that he wouldn’t come back alive! We are going home young man.” Molly Weasley grabbed Ron by the ear and lead him back towards the fireplace.

The helpless look on Ron’s face and the angry look on Molly’s said it all. “Sorry Severus, I hope to see you again soon under more pleasant circumstances,”

Severus merely bowed his head slightly as if to say “that’s fine Molly, I shall see you later and you take care of business”

“You’re bare bottom is going to meet the family paddle tonight Ronald,” Molly Weasley stated angrily as she disappeared with Ron through the green flames.

“A paddle, what a good idea,” Snape said as he took one out of the draws of his office. Placing it on the desk behind him and then turning his straight backed chair around to face Harry and sit himself down. Snape often employed this nasty paddle on a Slytherin behind when the parents had deemed that the old fashioned punishments were necessary to get their child to behave. A lot of pure blood families had a great love of things the old ways. Severus tried to employ both through his teaching and it looked like the same would apply to parenting as well.

“Have you got anything to say for yourself Harry?” Snape asked.

“Please don’t hurt my basilisk,” Harry almost cried.

“Your basilisk? Harry that thing in a monster! It can’t be yours child, or anybody else’s for that matter. Don’t you think that we have tried to harness that creature? It’s not possible!” Snape said.

“It is for me!” Harry burst out.

“Harry don’t you take such an insolent tone with me! You shall learn to behave and to acknowledge that maybe I might know what I’m saying and you shouldn’t be just barging your way into things! Over this knee! NOW!”

Harry found himself in a situation where all he wanted to do was pull himself against the wall and stay there.

“Harry” Snape scolded, “If you make me use the imperius curse I will not only spank you til your bottom is red but I shall paddle you until I see blisters!” This was merely an empty threat and Snape knew it but he had to say something in order for his brat to listen to him. His brat...that was a new sensation and honestly, Snape liked it. To have someone to look after and to love, discipline, unfortunately, came as part of that love.

Harry found himself with little choice. He walked towards his father and laid himself over his knee.

Snape raised his hand and slowly began to spank Harry’s bottom. Slow enough that he was aware of the spanking but that it really made him think about what was happening and why. Harry decided that he was going to take this punishment as a man, after all Snape was wrong, the basilisk wasn’t that bad and he should have gone for Ginny I mean nobody else was going to. Were they?

Spank. Spank. Spank. WHACK. Spank.

Harry’s backside was slowly becoming a mild shade of pink. Causing Harry to wriggle slightly under the punishment.

“I am so disappointed with you Harry.”

Spank. Whack. SPANK. Whack. Spank.

“After I explicitly to simply go back to Gryffindor tower...is that where you went?”

“N...n...no sir,” muttered Harry.

Spank. Whack. Spank. WHACK. SPANK. WHACK. Spank.

“Don’t you ever do such a thing again or we will be back in this position again.”

Spank. Whack. Spank. Spank. SPANK. SPANK. Whack.

“You could have died!!!”

SPANK! WHACK! SPANK!

For fifteen long minutes Harry was held over his father’s knee until he finally found himself breaking down in tears.

“I’m sooo sorry, but PLEASE LISten to me!” Harry screamed out.

“I will in a minute Harry, I promise,” Snape said firmly, “but first I need to impress upon your BARE bottom the SERIOUSNESS of your actions!!”

Harry whimpered realising that his punishment was not yet over.

This time Snape chose not to allow for Harry to count the amount of smacks that he was going to get. He wondered if maybe it would be a deterrent to not know when his spanking was going to finish. Still he gave him the same fourteen spanks that he had given previously. With Harry yelping through them. Then he gently started rubbing his hand across his son’s beat red bottom.

“Now Harry, do you still want to have a little discussion?” Snape asked.

“Y..yes,” Harry said. Even though he knew that there was every chance that Snape would continue to spank him again. He had to take the chance. After all the basilisks very life was at stake and that mattered more..no matter how sore he had to get because of it. Hagrid would be proud after all, its not every person who is willing to try to accept a fearsome creature in their life.

 Snape knew that with the threat of another spanking, particularly after what Harry had just been through, whatever he wanted to say must be rather important.

“Ok, but that is not going to be the end of this discussion we are having here, to ensure that you have completely learned from this lesson I expect you to write 3 feet of parchment on the dangers of going into the chamber and how much easier it would have been had you just waited for a teacher, 3 feet of parchment on the correct care for a basilisk and how dangerous it is including how easily it could have killed you and 7 inches of parchment for apology letters for each of the people that you have wronged through your latest escapade including Ronald Weasley. You shall not tell him why you have written it but you will show him the letter and believe me, I shall know if you do not.” The throbbing of Harry’s bottom continued throughout this speech and then Snape allowed him to move from his lap.

“Get yourself together and take a seat,” Snape stated. The only chair nearby was also a wooden chair which Harry did not look forward to sitting on. But did as he was told, straightening his clothes and sitting.

“What do you wish to speak about Harry?” Snape asked gently.

“What’s the point you won’t listen anyway. Why don’t you just spank me again?” Harry asked.

Now that was not a reaction which Snape had expected! But Harry was thinking back on the way he was always treated at his relatives house and comparing it to the way Snape was treating him now. The first thing that he learned at his relatives house was don’t ask any questions. The second thing he learned was to stay quiet at all times. This, he believed, was one of those times.

“No Harry, listen to me,” Snape said trying to gain Harry’s attention, “I not only care about you, but I love you Harry. You have always been loved,” Harry’s mouth simply fell open at the man’s words...here was Snape..most hated teacher of the school, bat of the dungeons, talking about love? But all he needed to do was to look at the man to realise that it was true. He did love him. Harry started to cry, “I...its the basilisk!”

“Harry,” Snape said frustratingly running his finger through his hair, “a basilisk is a very dangerous animal, and if you even look at it, even just a glance, it can kill you through the magic of its eye.”

“I know, I read the page Hermione looked at in the library,” Harry said, “but sir I did look at it...honestly...I did...and it spoke to me.”

Snape was taken aback by that, how could he possibly have looked at the basilisk. It was only meant to be harnessed by the heir of slytherin! “Harry,” Snape said coming closer to him and instinctively swiping a few of his hairs away from his forehead. Looking at the scar he shuddered. It made him think instantly of Voldemort and the magic which had caused that mark. It must have been very strong but then...maybe it was the reason why...yeah that made sense!

“Harry!” Snape said gently, “Remember that little talk that we had at the beginning of the year? One of those talents given by the dark lord must be the ability to control the basilisk! That is remarkable! I wonder how many other creatures?” Snape shook his head, “basilisks are very dark creatures Harry. I’m concerned for your safety and until I see for my own eyes, and specialists in the field look into it, I am not willing to take the chance with your safety. I shall speak to Professor Dumbledore about it. Is that all?”

Harry nodded shyly.

“Good then you are released, go back to Gryffindor tower NOT the chamber of secrets. Understand?” Snape asked.

“Yes sir,” Harry said and he left the room closing the door quietly behind him.