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

Chapter 19: A QUICK WORD

When Severus Snape caught Hermione Granger coming out of the library, just a few minutes before the start of dinner in the Great Hall, he lengthened his strides to catch up with her. "Miss Granger!" He called lazily.

The girl started and turned with apprehension to face her potions teacher. "Good evening, Professor." She said uncertainly.

"Tell Potter that he is to come to my office immediately." He said shortly.

Severus looked the girl over, noting the way she was nearly bent double with the amount of heavy books in her bag. "And try not to drain the library of all of its resources by the way, Miss Granger. Other students might like to read the books too." He added scathingly.

Hermione's cheeks reddened but she walked up the stairs to Gryffindor tower to give the message to Harry. 

Severus did a very quick round of the school in order to catch any students who had decided to be late to dinner. He nodded at Minerva McGonagall when she passed him. She was holding a large stack of paperwork and leading a snivelling student to the hospital wing. The child had somehow managed to shrivel his ears up and seemed to be sporting what looked like a fox's tail. Professor McGonagall gave Severus the tight-lipped smile that she was renowned for and waved a hand behind her, saying, "Mr Drake was on the receiving end of a bad jinx", in way of an explanation.

"Was the caster Mr Tate by any chance?" Severus enquired flatly.

"It was actually." Minerva replied, looking torn between amusement and a desire to remain professionally impartial.

Severus shook his head in exasperation and turned on his heel towards the dungeons, barely acknowledging Minerva as she called after him to say that Dumbledore was asking after him. Deciding that Albus could wait, Severus carried on to his office. He was unsurprised to see that Potter had not yet arrived. He knew that the arrogant boy would be lazing around in his common room, no doubt accompanied by Mr Weasley; their homework left to grow old in a corner. Severus took a seat behind his desk and pulled some papers towards him, planning to mark a few before he berated the boy for his tardiness. 

Finally, when a featherlight knock came at his door, Severus strode over to it. He opened it a crack and found himself looking down at a boy with quite astonishingly messy black hair, a thin face, and wire-rimmed glasses. Potter was shuffling his feet and looking apprehensive. "Well, well, Potter." Severus said in his most acerbic voice, "I was beginning to think that you had lost your way. Perhaps lured by the smell of the roast dinner in the Great Hall?" He suggested. 

The boy looked nettled by the comment but rebuked his suggestion and Severus watched the boy's face, finding pleasure in his obvious annoyance, although he was somewhat surprised that Potter remained civil and called him 'sir' without being reminded of the respect due to his teacher.

"In." Severus ordered with narrow eyes, opening the door just a tad more to allow the boy to slip inside. Severus stood behind his seat, in front of the large wooden desk, but Potter stood with his legs apart, looking slightly defiant. Evidently he was expecting a lecture for some sort of wrongdoing. But Severus waited for the boy to speak first. He felt that Potter's opening sentence would likely set the tone for how Severus was going to carry this conversation. After all, Severus always tried to do what Albus Dumbledore wanted, no matter what anyone else said, and testing the boy's attitude would only direct Severus' response, he had decided. Severus had also promised himself that he would be less hostile, and would not lose his temper.

"What was it you called me down here for, Sir?" Potter asked. His tone was light but Severus could see the uneasiness in the boy's movements. He was rubbing the back of his neck in an absent-minded way, and not quite looking Severus in the eye.