Dunderhead - A Harry Potter story: Snape becomes Harry's mentor

Chapter 5

Harry walked quickly and he didn't look back. He was half aware of the sound of Snape rattling around in the side room where he kept his potion cabinets, and Harry was paranoid that the man would bear down upon him suddenly, grab him by the collar, and drag him back for a repeat performance. The fear of this quickened Harry's pace, and he got to the ground floor in no time at all. He sped past Peeves the poltergeist, who was busy sticking chewing gum to the steps of the grand staircase, and saw only a few stragglers who were on their way to bed. 

It was late and Harry had missed supper again. He thought about Ron and Hermione in the Gryffindor common room and a fond memory of his friend's usual evening pastime rose to mind: the fire would be blazing in the hearth, Ron would probably be toasting crumpets, used to the two or three suppers that he usually had back home under Mrs Weasley's feeding... Harry knew that Hermione would be reading, and she would be clipping at Ron for spraying crumbs, unable to stop herself from pursing her lips at him as he drenched his crumpets in far too much butter or syrup. Harry ached to be a part of this normal scene, but he seemed to have left himself behind in Snape's cold, oppressive dungeon, with the low swinging lights that made an orange glow, and the green moss on the walls from the lake surrounding the castle. 

Harry spent some moments debating where he should go. A part of him considered breaking into the prefect's bathrooms for a scalding hot bath, and it occurred to Harry that maybe holding occlumency lessons there would have been easier, more relaxing. Although he snorted internally at the ridiculous setting for Severus Snape's dark character. The dungeons suited the man just fine, Harry thought with contempt. He had was just turning the corner, thinking about how he might truly go and run himself a hot bath, when a hand latched onto his shoulder, startling him. Harry turned in horror to face Severus Snape.

The walk back down to Snape's office could be considered as one of the most nerve wracking experiences that Harry had had all year. Harry dreaded to think what Snape would do to him now. There was always the option of going to Dumbledore, of course, but the headmaster had been ignoring him all year. Harry supposed that he could always bolt for it. With his superior agility, he'd be sure to get away. But Snape had a hand on his shoulder, gripping tightly, albeit not painfully, and the man had his wand too. Harry doubted he'd win a duel against Snape. 

Harry knew that Snape had been livid after the pensieve incident earlier in the year, having thrown him bodily from his office, and it was only too obvious that the Potions professor did not want Harry to repeat the humiliating events, especially the particular incident that Harry had witnessed. And, if his professor had been furious with him for finding out about the humiliating treatment he had suffered at the hands of James Potter and the Marauders, then Harry did not want to think about how Snape felt now. Harry had not merely witnessed Snape's childhood bullying but contributed to a reminder of the memory of it: Snivellus. The silly nickname was oily and suited the man well, but Harry was sickened by it. It was too close to Draco Malfoy's pathetic taunts, and Harry never wanted to be associated with the class of a bully. It was a he saw their two descending shadows on the stone walls moving jaggedly as Harry stumbled down the steps, Snape's hand still gripping his bony shoulder, that Harry made a promise to himself in that moment; that he would never again use his father's appellation for Severus Snape, no matter how much the man antagonised him.

***

Severus always kept his emergency first-aid kit close at hand. Although Potter's injuries were not serious - a smudge of healing salve and a vial of potion would patch things up nicely - Severus was nonetheless feeling quite tense. This uncomfortable feeling had been exacerbated when, upon retrieving the potion and salve, Severus saw that Potter had slipped off behind his back. Severus had growled in frustration. He had intended to heal the boy, settle things with a talk, and send him off to bed. He knew that he would then confront the headmaster about the incident afterwards, he couldn't keep this to himself. But Potter running off had complicated matters. Should anyone discover the boy in such a state there would be questions and, next thing you know, there would be complaints filed against him, howlers demanding his resignation and prosecution. It would be especially serious as it was the saviour of the wizarding world. And so Severus had hurriedly dropped the vials on his desk and stormed out of the door.