He was laying on the soft grass near Spinner's end in the warm sun, gazing at the sky. The park looked stunningly alluring, the shinning light on the dew drops making it more resplendent than ever. However, he is a professional; he knows the drill.

"Reveal your secrets." Severus yawned sluggishly, wondering where does his unconscious mind conceal its subliminal perceptions tonight.

A shadow crossed the park, stopping right above him. The green eyes blinked twice, adjusting themselves to the sunlit place. Severus rolled aside and the boy dropped next to him, the grass caressing the black mop on his head. He was wearing Hawaiian shirt which was heedlessly buttoned, revealing a piece of pale skin on his chest.

"Potter." Severus acknowledged calmly and raised his upper body, like it was natural to see the boy in the one place he'd sworn not to let him reach.

The boy opened his mouth, but instead of answering he had just hummed.

"Tam tam tam tam… Tam tam tam tam…" As the thrum continued, a flock of sparrows flooded the sky, joining the music. Close examination was awarded with the recognition of a few: one had blond wings, the other ginger ones… Some of the twits resonate a violin; others cello. A narrow bunch were the proud owners of a crown, Weasley and Draco not among them.

As the time passed, the sparrows resembled themselves more and more. Severus recognized some more familiar features; roundness of Longbottom, the dark skin of the Patil twins. Severus frowned and looked for the golden crowns, and there they were – Susan Bones, Tracey Davis, Seamus Finnigan, Dean Thomas, Hannah Abbot. Ravenclaw was starring with Sue Li, Anthony Goldstein, Michael Corner and Mandy Brocklehurst.

Fifth year students, Beethoven's Fifth Symphony… the reoccurring motive was clear.

But why…

Severus felt the urge to turn around and so he did. Potter's crown was as silver as moonlight, luminating softly, an identical crown resting on his knee.

"This one is for you." He said softly. Severus leaned forward to grab it.

All of a sudden, a hand materialized and stopped him midair. Severus looked at a pale boy with dark, wavy hair and a crooked smile.

"I don't think you want this one, Severus." Said Lord Voldemort, both his red eyes and his silver crown glittering.

Severus felt a yank under his left sleeve and bolted awake on his legs like an arrow, crashing back into his cushy chair as he realized that The Dark Lord hadn't called him.

Fifth. Crowns. Students. What does his unconscious mind try to tell him?

Severus raised himself from the chair, his muscles aching and sore. A well-placed palm on the wall extracted from it green snakes that had intertwined together, hatching it as they recognized his magical signature. He entered the place he'd called home for nearly fifteen years, his legs aiming him towards hot steam shower.

Nonetheless his nickname, The Greasy Bat of the Dungeons shampooed his hair and after ten heavenly minutes departed from the misty room. It was the dawn of another agonizing day in Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Severus walked into the Great Hall, musing about his dream. His skillful spy's ears had caught segments of prattles and chatters, reminding that the Slytherin-Hufflepuff match will occur next week. The Potions Master's lips twitched upwards at the notion – without Potter and the Weasley Twins, winning the Quidditch Cup was a cinch.

Who could've envisaged that Umbridge's position would produce benefits?

He settled between Poppy and Umbridge, pouring himself a cup of black coffee. "Good morning, High Inquisitor. Would you like some coffee?"

Minerva almost sprayed all of the desk with her tea and Poppy chocked on a cake so badly that Severus almost began Heimlich maneuver over her.

"No thank you, Severus." The woman in question answered sweetly. "I understand that you had received my letter, didn't you?"

Severus inclined his head, black curtains covering his expression. "I beg to your forgiveness, High Inquisitor. The incident yesterday shall never repeat itself. If I may, I thank you for gracing my classes with your experience during the probation."

Umbridge almost beamed. "Finally, somebody recognizes my value! I knew we'll be friends from the moment I saw you."

He nodded courteously. "Only us can see the truth about the brats around here." Especially Potter was left unsaid. "I need to prepare the class for the first lesson this morning. Slytherin and Gryffindor, fifth year. See you soon." Without waiting for her answer, he marched towards the dungeons, snorting disdainfully when he's out of her earshot.

Friends? As Minerva phrased well, the chances of seeing him in Dumbledore's horrendous colorful robes are colossal compared to the odds for this friendship. Even Trelawney would've figure it out.

Harry, Ron, Hermione and Neville had entered the Potions' lab. To an eavesdropper, their conversation would've sound like a load of nonsense, one of the Quibbler's conspiracies; something about an army for Dumbledore, rebelling against Umbridge, preparing to fight against –

SMACK!

"Get bent, Malfoy." Said Ron bluntly, throwing his Potions book on the blond boy who tried to listen to their conversation.

"Ten points from Gryffindor for violent act against a classmate." Declared a voice and Harry inwardly groaned. Again?

Dolores Umbridge was sitting on a pink ottoman in the corner of Potions class, smiling at them vindictively. "But she already inspected Professor Snape's lesson. Unless…" Hermione's eyes widened as she reached the only logical conclusion. "Professor Snape is on probation." She said in a dark voice.

A year ago, Harry would've celebrated. But today, Snape's probation means Umbridge's victory. The man is at risk of losing his livelihood just because he had tried to defend some half blood students which were under his custody during the academic year. And now, Harry knew that Snape can be a proper teacher when he desires to…

Without further words, Harry and Ron approached to their working station. "Bloody hell! Ron, my book!" Harry hissed towards his best friend. "What do I do? Umbridge will understand that this is the same one I was reading during her class!"

Ron silently pulled Hermione towards them and Harry repeated on the problem. "Try to tell the Professor that you've forgotten the book?" She suggested, her nose wrinkled. Both of them knew that an act like this was most likely going to cost him another date with the blood quill. "Anyway, usually we don't use the recipes from the book. Maybe you'll be lucky this time."

Harry snorted. A lesson plus Umbridge equals reading a book. It was a simple equation. Even Dudley could've understood it.  

As they sat down, Harry suddenly recalled – the end of the book, the empty pages! Maybe he could just copy the relevant part over there…

A title had appeared on the board – Hair-Raising Potion. Harry began copying the relevant text fanatically, at the highest rate he could afford himself without tiring. He knew that Snape will notice it and hoped with his whole heart that he wouldn't make any comment on it.

Snape began lecturing, as dreadful and boring as always. The class was silent, except for the episodes in which Umbridge scribbled notes in her small, pink notebook. The quill she used was creaky and Hermione shivered each time that the almost inkless tool had touched the notebook. Umbridge's hateful, little vindictive eyes shone with joy each time that Hermione shivered. Whispers and stares awoke to see the silent battle between the women.

Harry was going to rip this woman.  

"Hem, hem." Snape coughed and Umbridge looked at him, stunned. "High Inquisitor, can you please keep quiet? We both know how effective is their 'monkey see, monkey do' policy. Potions are very sensitive and highly dangerous, as I'm positive you know. Thus, by the Headmaster's order, I'm taking all measures to ensure silence, including... Unconventional punishments." He said, smoothly, his baritone voice soothing the noises in the class into a complete silence.

The woman audibly gulped.

"After we've resolved this… inadmissible situation, open your books at page 478. You may begin. The work will be done individually."

Harry let his face crackle into a simper, tasting the small victory of being prudent for the first time of his life.

It was a mistake.

Harry was satisfied to find out that he was doing quite well. For once, he didn't need to endeavor in order to see the recipe. His smudged writing wasn't as beautiful as Lily's cursive, but it was legible. After reading the written transcript three times, making sure that he hadn't missed anything, he began working.

He grinded pixies' eyes, powdered moonstone, chopped rat tails and plucked the petals of a jonquil. It was a challenging potion, but Harry was never the one to be scared from a dare. He untangled an erumpent's tail and measured three inches. He was just about to cut the tail as Snape walked towards him and looked into his cauldron. Umbridge followed him like a – well, like a pink shadow.

"Pay attention, Potter." Said Snape curtly, tapping his wand on the recipe. He hadn't made any comment about the hand-written recipe, despite his eyes delayed on it. Harry looked down and read again as Snape crossed the class with a few long strides. 'Untangle five inches of an erumpent's tail and drop into the cauldron at once; stir twice clockwise'. He frowned; He could've sworn that it was three. His lack of sleep was affecting him.

"Looks like you haven't found your best subject yet, Mr. Potter. Perhaps… writing lines?" Umbridge smirked smugly above his iron cauldron, obviously gleeful with his mistake. Unwillingly, he gritted his teeth and added five inches of erumpant's tail into the mixture, stirring it two times clockwise.

BOOM!

A blue shield popped up before of him, protecting Harry from the intense explosion. Umbridge wasn't so lucky; her hair was full of the fluids, already beginning to straighten up. Harry was reminded of a science lesson he had on fifth grade, a demonstration about the effects of electricity.

"Detention, Mr. Potter! Until Christmas' Eve!" Umbridge screamed at him.

"It wasn't my fault! I did exactly what the recipe had said! It's written black on white, untangle – "

A hand grasped his shoulder harshly enough to leave bruises. " – Three inches of erumpant's tail, yes. After many instances to the contrary, Mr. Potter had finally operated exactly as written." He had pointed with his finger on the text. Harry opened his mouth, ready to snap at the Potions' Master, but his eyes followed Snape's hand. And there, written in Harry's handwriting:

'Untangle three inches of an erumpent's tail and drop into the cauldron at once; stir twice clockwise'.

"However," Snape continued, ignoring Harry's dropped jaw, "It seems like you have violated the order of the class. I've specifically asked you not to speak during the session as we are dealing with highly explosive materials. Only an insolent wouldn't know that the erumpent contains a small dose of nitroglycerin inside his body, lethal on high concentrations when in touch with specific catalysators, some of them contained in human saliva. The desiccating process of the tail makes it fatal, as I've noted several times on my lecture." He talked fluently, not giving Umbridge any chance to comment. Harry stared at him with awe.

"Hereby, as a direct consequence of your actions, which had placed both you and the students in hazard, you're banned from entering this class in the following three weeks, which is the standard punishment for causing such risky incident. You've proven your ability to follow orders almost as abysmal as Potter's."

"I – " Snape raised his hand, shutting her up. "Apologizing isn't a necessity nor desired; dismissed."

"But Potter – " "Will serve a detention with me for every night in the following week due to not taking enough safety masseurs in order to prevent your disruption." He barely glanced at Harry. "And if I may suggest, High Inquisitor," He added, his lip curling up into a sneer, "You should visit the Hospital Wing. Merely suggesting for the sake of that daub on top of your head. Mr. Nott, escort her to Madam Pomfrey."

Snape glared at the class, daring them to say something. The rest continued working on their potion and Harry sighed; another T. He stood helplessly in his place, glaring at the ruined potion.

"Potter!" Snape hissed and Harry jumped, seeing the man right behind him. "Are you too pontifical to be working like the rest of the class? Since when celebrities receive special treatment in this class?"

"B - but, sir…" Harry stuttered. "My potion… It's ruined…"

Snape looked into the cauldron, waving his hand above it to banish the blue vapors that came out. Harry's eyes had widened as he saw golden powder plunging into his potion, absorbing the mist and mixing in the liquid, making it a fierce yellow.

"After so many failures, Mr. Potter, you wouldn't recognize a successful brewing even if it will dance bare-skinned right in front of you with Celestina Warbeck as a playback." Said Snape, sliding to Hermione's working station, which had a slightly more lemonish yellow liquid.