Serving Penance • Snarry •

Chapter 5

Twenty-six days until the full moon

Harry sat on a workbench by the wall, swinging his legs, and watching Snape. He was dipping unicorn-patterned wallpaper into a vast bubbling cauldron with overlong tweezers.

"Who's the wallpaper for?"

"The baby department of Harrods." Severus levitated it over a washing line. Grey steam puffed out of the cauldron, and he dunked another sheet into it.

"I didn't know they had a wizarding department."

"What you don't know would fill many books," he smirked. The unicorns from the first sheet began to wake up.

"Teach me, then. Would you tutor me in the Dark Arts? Only for a fortnight or so."

Severus levitated a second piece and turned around to raise his eyebrows. "The hero of light wishes to study the magic of darkness? Your father will roll in his grave. He detested any and all spells that could be conceived of as dark."

"They can't be evil—you can do them," he said simply. "Sirius once told me you knew more curses in First Year than adults. Why? Is that true?"

Severus shot warm air out the tip of his wand at the paper. "That is a gross misrepresentation. You must learn curses in order to study counter-curses. I also had very limited access to learning materials as a child. I am confident if you had only Charms and Divination texts, you would become a veritable expert at both. Do a gentle 'Torreo' on the wallpaper, please."

"Oh." Harry leapt off the bench, mindful of avoiding brushing up against Severus. He drew his wand and cast the Drying Charm.

"Oh indeed." Severus dropped more wallpaper into the potion and nudged it with his tweezers.

"So you'll teach me? I need to be able to defend myself."

"You are correct in your belief that although you conquered the Dark Lord, there are yet many that wish you harm. I do however recall that you were not willing to apply yourself to Defence Against the Dark Arts in your sixth year."

"I'll work harder this time. But if I don't get something, don't treat me like I'm stupid. I'll try my best."

Severus lifted another sheet to the line. "Your best is all I ask, Potter. Don't even think about trying to pay me."

He grinned and started to dry the second piece. A tiny golden unicorn yawned. "You should call me Harry, everyone does. Just Harry."

"As you wish, just Harry."

Harry felt inexplicably delighted. The pause grew awkward between them, as if they were on a date and should say something. "Were you ever nervous when duelling, in the war?"

Snape looked thoughtful. He took a minute before answering, and Harry felt a buzz now he had his undivided attention. "When duelling the Order, I feared for their safety. I do not feel afraid in a duel. I am competent and enjoy using magic to stretch my limits. By and large, my fears throughout the war regarded facing death before you had the knowledge you needed and your mortal peril. I was also entrusted to safeguard hundreds of children, whilst appearing to terrify and torture them into submission. Not a pleasant task, and I was very convincing. I can't step out into the wizarding world without terrifying all teenagers that look my way."

"Weren't you exonerated by Dumbledore and Ron and Hermione? I'm sorry I didn't hang around to help. I was in a world of my own."

Severus inclined his head. "You sent me Kreacher. I owe you both my life." He washed his tools and hung them up. "As you know, Albus cannot sway the press or public sentiment. More so since he became a doddery old portrait, compounded by the incontrovertible truth that I murdered him."