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

Chapter 20: TELLING

Harry made it to dinner with plenty of time to grab a plate of mashed potato, carrots and gravy, and he ate his way through the meal while listening to Ron and Hermione bicker about homework. Apparently, ever since Harry had left, Hermione had been berating Ron about his recent lack of concentration during their lessons.

"She's been telling me off for longer than usual because you haven't been here to tell off too." Ron said grumpily in an undertone to Harry, although he didn't seem to be angry at Harry for his absence. The comparison between Hermione and the bat of the dungeons was laughable. "Harry, what did the greasy git want then?" Ron asked, becoming serious quickly as he took in his friend's thoughtful look. 

Hermione heaved a sigh, cut off from her next words. She turned to face Harry, looking interested all the same, and Harry checked their surroundings before deciding that no one would eavesdrop on their conversation: the Great Hall seemed to be louder than usual this evening.

"He told me that I won't be having Occlumency lessons for a while." Harry told them in a low voice.

Ron smiled. "Great!" He said enthusiastically. "You'll be able to come to extra Quidditch practise on Monday evenings! Remember how Angelina was saying that she's planning to alter the timetable?" Ron said to Harry.

Hermione, however, did not take such a positive view of Harry's information. "Why not?" She asked him suspiciously. "You haven't upset Snape, have you Harry?" She spoke tentatively.

Harry shook his head and gave Hermione a reassuring look, even as he tried to stamp down his feeling of indignance. "No. Well, no more than usual." He said gruffly. "Snape actually let slip that he's not going to be teaching at all, and he won't be in potions either." Harry explained. Although Snape had made it very clear that he was not to broadcast this information, Harry wondered the reasons for this when students would see right away that Professor Snape was absent from classes. Still, Harry was careful not to raise his voice about Occlumency lessons.  

"He's going to be absent?" Hermione murmured. She looked worried. "Harry, is this about V-Voldemort?" She whispered, lowering her head to make sure that no one around them would pick up on their conversation. 

Ron choked on his pumpkin juice and missed the next part of the conversation as he was slapped on the back by Seamus sitting next to him.

"I guess it could be. I hadn't really considered that." Harry admitted, feeling stupid.

"I forget that Snape's still a spy." Ron said weakly, wiping some dribble off his chin with the hem of his sleeve. Hermione watched him distastefully but did not comment. She looked worried and tense. Harry found himself wondering whether he would make use of the time that he would previously have been spending in Occulmency lessons. He tried to imagine himself ploughing diligently through the Occlumency book, spending Monday evenings working particularly hard to block all of his thoughts. Realistically, he could not see himself doing any of this, not even to prove Snape wrong. 

"So what will you do now?" Hermione asked worriedly. 

Harry himself felt slightly on edge. To have had the awful, regimented lessons once a week put on hold would have filled him with joy at any other time, but Harry remembered Snape's slip up and he wondered if his friends were correct, was Snape still spying for Dumbledore? Harry supposed that the man must be. He was a reclusive man. When had Harry seen Snape during meals, for instance? Sometimes Snape appeared just once a day for food in the Great Hall. Still, he wasn't as illusive as Mint seemed to be. 

Harry put his fork down. He didn't feel hungry anymore and, as if sensing his loss of appetite, the food around them vanished. It was replaced with an arrangement of puddings and desserts and Ron reached eagerly for the meringue pie, only to have his sister plop down beside him in the seat next to him and swat his hand away. "You'll ruin your teeth." She said, without pre-amble, and Ron glared at Ginny as you might something smelly stuck to the bottom of your shoe. "My teeth are fine." He said angrily. Ron looked to Hermione and Harry for help when Ginny took the plate of pudding with her back to her seat. "Can't even eat in peace anymore." Ron grumbled, thrusting his hand towards a crystal bowl containing fruit salad instead and scooping the contents onto his plate with a disgruntled splatter.