No Good Deed

Chapter 3

"Potter." Snape stepped back from the door to let Harry inside.

Harry's arms were stuffed with books and robes, and he could barely see over them as he navigated his way to the small table. There he dumped his load and turned to look at Snape.

"I did laundry," he said, not without a hint of pride in his voice.

"Congratulations."

"I washed your robes, too." Harry reached inside the pocket of his jeans (one of Dudley's old ones, so far less tight), and offered Snape a handful of black buttons. "But these kinda popped off when I did the charms."

Snape accepted the buttons with an incredulous stare. "Try putting less power behind the charm. It's not a Killing Curse, for God's sake."

Blushing, Harry turned back to the pile on the table. "I got the ingredients you wanted." He offered Snape the paper bag, which Snape accepted with a nod.

"And I got your book back." Harry picked it up, holding it against his chest, afraid Snape might not let him keep it. He wanted to keep it. "I know you said you didn't want it back, but it is yours, so I thought ... " Harry broke off when Snape held out his hand. Harry gave him the book, and shuffled his feet across the worn carpet beneath them.

Snape first looked at the cover, and then skimmed through the pages, the corners of his mouth curling up every now and then as though he saw something that amused him.

"Sir," Harry asked softly. "Did you make all those additions? All your own inventions?"

"Yes," Snape replied without looking up.

"Wow."

"You may keep it." Snape closed the book with a snap and thrust it at Harry.

"Thanks."

"Groceries first, I should say." Snape produced a piece of parchment and some money.

"Again? I just did groceries yesterday," Harry objected, yet he did take the list and bills.

"The thing about groceries is, one consumes them, and therefore they require replacement on a regular basis," Snape said, and Harry rolled his eyes, which Snape answered with a sneer.

"Greek yogurt?" Harry said, as he looked over the groceries list. "What on earth is Greek yogurt?"

"It's yogurt. From Greece," Snape said tightly.

"No, really?" Harry gasped in mock-surprise. "What I mean is, where do I find it? Or do you expect me to apparate to Athens?"

"One finds it in the dairy section of the supermarket, where one usually finds yogurt. The words 'Greek yogurt' will be printed in big, fat letters on the container. Even you, low as your IQ may be, should have no problems detecting it." Snape sounded as though he was about to lose his patience.

"Fine," Harry muttered, shoving the list in his pocket. "See you later." Snape didn't reply as Harry closed the door behind himself.

The walk to the supermarket was long and uneventful. Once there, Harry got a cart, and then noticed a display at the entrance of the store. Cans of Coca-Cola were on sale.