The words to come into Harry’s mind after his lesson with the fifth years were of a rather adult nature. If he had been feeling slightly sorry for Snape in preparation of class, and standing there trying to teach, he was anything but generously inclined towards the older man now. Harry wanted to make Snape pay for the way he had acted. He was also terrified of doing so because of the consequences. He imagined for a moment, just what was at stake, what Snape could do to mess his life up even more. Harry decided that for the first time in his life he would do something mature and civilised. He would be respectful towards Snape. He would discuss the situation with Snape. He would not go around the school acting strangely and awarding points to Gryffindor to spite Snape, no he would not.
The next lesson he had was that of the first year Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw class. They came cowering in, acting like frightened mice. He didn’t quite know how to react. On the one hand, if he didn’t start acting more like Snape someone would figure out something was up. Especially with the way Snape was behaving. On the other hand, the kids looked terrified and his better nature wanted them to feel less intimidated. He brought out his demonstration Potion and spoke to the class at length. He tried to be as gentle as possible. They goggled at him like lost puppies. Harry found himself annoyed when, even though he had warned them several times, three of the students still put their ingredients in the Cauldron in the wrong order and produced varying cataclysmic events, including the meltdown of the cauldron and table, a noxious gas pervading the Dungeons and the same effect as the Obliviate spell on one of the students.
“Did you not listen?” Harry fumed at all three of them. “I brought your attention to the order of the ingredients for a reason, you know! Twenty points from Hufflepuff and ten points from Ravenclaw.” The students turned pale and flinched in their seats. Harry mentally cursed himself for becoming so harsh. Oh well, it was no more than Professor McGonagall would have done, and he had the utmost respect for her. He cleaned up the classroom once they had gone and found himself trying to remember everything he had done incorrectly in First Year. It was difficult to remember, but he knew that just recently he hadn’t listened to instructions as attentively as he should. Potions was an exact science, he supposed, much like flying. You had to lean just right to get the right effect when flying, the same could be said of stirring or contributing to a Potion. After a busy lunch which involved more school patrolling, the next lesson he had was with third years and as this consisted of a Quiz, he sat watching them and then read more notes. He was then free for the rest of the day until dinner and 6.00pm’s Detention.
He went up to his quarters and decided it was time for more raiding of Snape’s personal property.
*************
Once in his quarters Harry walked over to the music centre and pressed a button that looked like it would commence play. He knew exactly what he would find, having gleaned the information from the Accluma. The dulcet and smooth tones of an oboe filled the room and Fidens came out from under the bed and rubbed up against Harry’s leg. He bent down and stroked Fidens’ head.
The track changed to an upbeat jazz tempo and Harry almost felt like dancing. As he went once more towards the cupboard in order to examine and explore, he did it in a sort of shuffle. As he reached the spot, he span on his heel and flicked his hand up. He grinned. At this moment he caught his reflection in the mirror on the door. He stared for the longest time, just examining, just thinking. Snape looked a lot younger with shorter hair. He looked like a real person and not some closeted cruel figure. His anger dissipated some what, and this time, when he told himself he would talk with Snape instead of going off the deep end, he meant it.
Before Harry knew it, it was nearing dinner time and he went down to the hall. Apart from filthy looks from Hermione, Snape and Draco Malfoy, the time passed in an uneventful manner and he met with the first two angry people in the Dungeons shortly thereafter.
“Hermione, my task for you is something that I hope will teach you the virtues of patience and keeping your temper. I have three First Year students waiting for a Tutor in the third classroom to the North Tower on the first floor upstairs. That tutor is you. Go and help them. I have written down what is needed and what they need to study. Make sure you do a good job.” Hermione looked a little shocked and then promptly disappeared.
“I knew you couldn’t really punish your friend,” Snape said with a disgusted sneer. “So what am I doing, cleaning the cauldrons, polishing the silver, mopping the floor?”
“How about just talking?” Harry said resignedly. This was not going to be easy. Snape was, for wont of another phrase, mad as a cut snake. He spoke slowly but with feeling, “I am sorry about the way I have acted. I should not have done something so presumptuous as,” he whispered the next bit, “cut your hair.” Presumptuous? That was a very Snape-like word to use. Oh well, it fit.
Snape looked shocked and then suspicious, “You think an apology is going to make things better do you?” he said loudly.
“No, I don’t think things could ever be “better” between us, Harry.”
“Don’t call me Harry!” Snape screamed. Harry stepped forward.
“I have to, what if someone hears us?” he whispered again. “Look, neither of us is acting like our respective selves. We have to stop being angry and have to start working with each other. We’re against a common foe. What would you prefer? Revenge for a haircut or Voldemort killing us both?”
“At the moment, I’d take the revenge,” Snape said baring his teeth in a scowl.
“Stop behaving like a child.”
“I’m in a child’s body!”
“I am not a child!”
“Yes you are!”
“Okay, fine then, I am a child. And you are an embittered, malicious, cruel git of a man,” Harry said. Snape looked like he was going to explode. Then he took a deep breath. He was grinding his teeth and banging his fist against his leg. After a while, he spoke.
“So?”
“So we stop feuding like this. Three months, remember.”
“Well then, I think you should know I went on a date with Miss. Chang,” Snape said, seemingly savouring the words.
“You what? How could you? That is ethically perverted!” Harry said with his eyes wide and his hands clenched into fists.
“I prevented it from going further by acting like a fool. Chang is no longer interested in you,” Snape replied.
Harry looked torn. “How bad was it?”
“Bad.”
“I couldn’t fix it?”
“Not easily,” Snape smirked slightly.
“Sod you!” Harry said harshly, stomping his foot.
“Temper, temper. Now who’s behaving like a child?” Snape said, his smile widening. It was now Harry’s turn to take a deep breath. His fingers were itching for his wand.
“Well, at least now there is another complication gone,” Harry said in a rigid and controlled manner. He took a moment to calm down. He was furious. He wanted to hurt Snape in as many ways as he could. There was the little matter of duty that hung over his head, however. What would Dumbledore think? Wouldn’t he be risking not only his own life, but many others?
“You can go if you wish. Just try and act more like me. Please,” Harry said quietly.
“I will do so, but you also have to behave more like me. No more taking points from Slytherin or insulting the students.”
“You always insult the students!”
“I meant the Slytherin students,” Snape replied, seemingly oblivious to the hypocritical humour of this statement.
“Oh, of course!” Harry said bitterly. Snape left and he leant against the table. Tomorrow would be another long day.