"I just don't understand it Albus he answered every one of the multiple choice questions correctly but look at this rubbish he wrote on the essay questions!" McGonagall stated handing Harry's test to Dumbledore.

Snape snatched it out of McGonagall's hand as he wanted to see for himself what Harry had done. It took quite a lot of resistance on the part of Snape to not storm down to the quidditch field that very second call his son down and turn him directly over his knee! Imagine writing that Bathilda Bagshot created special bags! Instead of her famous novel the history of magic still taught to this day by Professor Binns. That ghost was one incredibly dull character even outside of his classroom!

Snape forced himself to say seated and flipped to the multiple choice questions. McGonagall was right…every last one of them…ok so maybe a few were incorrect. But getting only two wrong answers out of 50 is pretty remarkable! One of the answers were kind of correct, but there was a better way to accomplish that potion which Snape had taught his second year students. Taking the method Harry had chosen it would have worked, just not as successfully.

Snape knew that he was going to have to have a talk to Harry about this. But for the moment he had to speak to his two colleagues about the issue. He handed the test to Dumbledore and stated, "I think that Harry has severe memory loss. But what this shows," he indicated the test, "is that he has implicit memories of what he has learned at Hogwarts. If we could find a way to tap into that then we could get him back to the way he was before this incident even started. I don't know how I will research this idea Albus, but since it is for Harry, I will find a way. Even if I don't sleep for a month I will find a way."

"Severus, what we need is to give him better access to those memories, why don't you leave it with me and Albus, we shall do some reading on the matter and see if there is any possible solution. You need to work on the potions expected by Pomfrey and St Mungos," McGonagall stated gently.

"No! NOTHING is more important than Harry, but I won't just disreguard my responsibilities either, I shall manage a way to do them both myself, thank you," Snape stated angrily.

Snape was used to being on his own, having to manage everything without any help from anybody.

"Severus, I am capable of looking through some books I'm not quite that old yet," Dumbledore chuckled, "I promise you that McGonagall and I shall find the answer together. Every day we will tell you what we have found and that will give you a chance to work on your potions. Please get them done Severus they are needed and you know that only your skill is good enough to fill the requirements."

Snape sighed knowing this to be true. But he also felt like he was disregarding his responsibility to his son and he did not like that. Snape looked down at his watch and was surprised to see the time was already 6.50. Where did the day go? Nodding in agreement with them he stated, "alright, I guess my hands are tied on the issue, but mark my words I will be looking for answers myself with every spare second I have," Snape stated.

"And rest Severus," McGonagall stated determinably, "you can't be raising a teenager without sleep. Trust me."

Snape nodded in agreement and left the room to meet his son.

Who was just walking back through the entrance door after Madam Hooch.

"Severus, you will be happy to know that he still shows quite a talent for his favourite sport," Madam Hooch stated gently.

"Thank you, Rolanda," Snape stated, "I'm glad he can be good at something, essay questions however…"

Harry tensed thinking of the spanking that was bound to come.

"You are going directly to my office Harry," Snape stated placing his hand on his shoulder.

"I'll see you guys later then," Harry said.

Everybody gave Harry a sympathetic look.

"Go easy on him Severus," Madam Hooch stated, "after all he has been through a lot."

"I know he has," Snape stated, "but I have to make sure I get through to him."

Snape followed Harry into his office with a heavy heart walking through to their living quarters.

"Harry, I need to talk to you about your test," Snape stated.

"I'm so sorry Dad I couldn't think of what to put I didn't know any of the answers!" Harry stated, "I tried really hard, I even checked the multiple choice answers to see if there was any hint as to what I could write but there wasn't much there."

Snape just stood there in shock, he thought that maybe his son was just trying to pull a practical joke with his answers but then…

"I only wrote answers like that because McGonagall made me!" Harry stated upset.

"Harry, don't lie to me!" Snape stated angrily.

"But I'm not lying she did!" Harry said.

"Oh right, so Minerva McGonagall held her wand to your head and said she'd kill you if you didn't write that drivel did she?" Snape stated, "how curious I'll have to tell the headmaster, I'm sure that he doesn't want someone like that on staff!"

Snape stood up walking to the floo network reaching out for a bit of floo.

"No! It was me Dad, I swear it was me, don't tell him!" Harry stated upset. He liked McGonagall even though he had only seen him a few times that he remembered.

"Then tell me what happened before I turn you over my knee!" Snape stated sitting down on the couch.

"Well you see, McGonagall wanted me to write something on the essay paper, but I couldn't think of anything to write. She told me to just write down something and maybe it would be right. So I did and now you're mad at me!" Harry's words seemed to just fall out in one big rush.

"Yes I am. Sometimes your actions surprise me Harry,"Snape stated, "didn't it occur to you to tell Professor McGonagall any of this?"

"well…I thought," Harry said.

"You just thought that you were too good to not admit to your faults? Well you need to learn son that everybody has their problems. When you are facing something that you find difficult you need to admit to it so that I don't have to take these actions again. I am going to give you a few swats just to remind you that you are not too big to admit to having a problem, when you face a problem you need to allow those around you to help, not take them on all on your own. Now pants down over my knee."

Harry cried as he accepted his punishment. It seemed that no matter how he looked at that stupid test it was going to end in this fashion. If he had refused to write something he would have been spanked for not trying, if he tried and wrote down whatever he thought of he was going to be spanked for being wrong! It was just not fair. He leaned over his fathers knee and Snape raised his hand bringing it down HARD on Harry's bottom. He repeated it two, three, four and five times.

"Do you understand why you are being punished Harry?" Snape asked.

"For trying to write an essay which I didn't know anything about?" Harry asked.

Snape rested his hand on Harry's bare bottom. He never quite understood why but it seemed with Harry that he got through stronger when he spoke to him like this than in any other position.

"Harry, listen to me now and listen clearly, I am not now nor will I ever be upset with you for trying," Snape stated gently, "what I am angry at" Snape spanked Harry's bottom again, "is not admitting when you had a problem and allowing those around you to help you," Snape spanked Harry again. "I need you to understand the difference now why are you being spanked?"

"Because I didn't ask for help when I needed it, but McGonagall wouldn't have listened anyway so why should I ever try?" Harry asked.

Snape spanked Harry's bottom again before responding, "you don't know that harry. The next time something is too hard for you I want you to come to me or the nearest adult and tell them. If they don't listen come to me son, I will always have time for you regardless of what I'm doing."

Snape spanked Harry's bottom three more times and let him sit up. Harry was still upset but he was a little surprised by his punishment being ended so early.

"Dad are you alright?" Harry asked.

"what do you want more?" Snape asked.

"No its just…you normally…" Harry said gently.

"Harry, I just needed to make the impression upon you that the next time something that troubles you comes up you come and talk to someone. Stop taking all of this on board on your own because that is what adults are there for son. Do you understand?" Snape asked.

"Yes Dad," Harry said, "I'm sorry...I'll remember next time to ask for help or tell you I need help."

"Good boy, now, I need to know about your sleeping arrangements," Snape stated, Harry lifted his head up with surprise.

"There is a bed waiting for you at Gryffindor tower, where you can stay with your friend Ron," Snape stated, "or you can stay with me here. Which would you prefer?"

Harry stood up giving his dad a hug. "I want to stay here with you, at least for tonight, is that ok?"

Snape smiled running his fingers gently through his hair. "Of course it is son, I'll let Dumbledore know what your decision is and you can see them in the morning.

Snape and Harry spent the night just talking to each other. Harry wanted to understand how to please his father, when it was ok to ask for help and when he should try by himself. By the end of the discussion he understood that there were a lot of times in his life that he took things by himself. Thinking that nobody would want to help him. It made Snape think of the conversation he had earlier with Dumbledore and McGonagall. Soon it was time for him to go to bed, Snape tucked his son into his bed, even though he was a teenager the boy still liked that kind of attention. As he turned off the light Snape laughed and said, "the boy is acting more and more like his father every day."