expected to find Harry sulking in his room and was pleasantly surprised to find the boy on the couch, reading the book on defensive spells he'd borrowed. Harry looked up when he came in, and immediately started chewing on his lower lip.
'Have you eaten?'
Harry looked puzzled by the question, but then said, 'Not since lunch, sir. How much trouble am I in?'
Ah, the reason for the confusion. He'd expected the dressing down first thing. 'First you will have dinner, then we discuss your behavior.'
Looking marginally relieved, Harry said, 'I could make something . . .'
'Just call the House-elves. It's already late.'
'Yes, sir. Anything for you?'
Severus was about to shake his head, then changed his mind. 'Toast would not go amiss. And some fruit, perhaps.'
In a few minutes, several platters were arranged on the dining table, one each of toast, fruit and small sweet cakes. Severus lifted his eyebrows at the third platter, and Harry gave him an almost cheeky smile. 'Well, I don't know what your rule will be about sweets, so I figured I'd get 'em all in before you could forbid them.'
'And you don't think I could forbid them now?' Severus managed to say this in a dry enough tone he thought Harry might not catch the humor.
Alas, the Brat's smile only widened. 'I think if you were gon . . . going to, I mean, you would have already. But you might have different rules once you're my guardian.'
That he was right only made Severus' tone drier. 'Indeed. However, I do not believe sweets are an appropriate main course for dinner. And one of our rules does explicitly state you will eat consistently and
'Yes, sir,' Harry said, his face falling slightly. 'But I'll have fruit, too. First, I mean.'
'See that you do.'
They were quiet over the meal, and Harry had both sliced apples and orange sections as well as toast before he selected one of the small cakes, picking at the icing along the edge. 'Do you like sweets, sir?' he asked when he had removed all the icing and was beginning to maul the cake's interior.
'Why?'
'Well, I can't remember ever seeing you eat any cakes or biscuits or anything, so I was wondering.'
Severus pursed his lips, and wiped the last of the toast crumbs from his fingers with a napkin. 'No, I do not generally care for sweets,' he said at length, 'to the Headmaster's utter frustration.' He suppressed a smile as the boy laughed. 'Although, there is one confection I admit enjoying.'
'What?'
'Strawberry ice cream.'
'Really?'
'Do you suggest I am prevaricating?'
'Uh, no. I just . . .' Harry grinned. 'Well, you know,
Severus gave an exaggerated sigh. 'Perhaps,' he allowed.
'When
'Soon. Perhaps on the weekend.'
'That's what, two days?'
Severus inclined his head, and noted that Harry was done eating. If left to pick at the food for a while longer, he would, but he wouldn't actually consume any more. 'Get this cleared away,' he told the boy now. 'And then join me in the sitting room.'
Harry nodded with a 'Yes, sir,' but it was almost fifteen minutes before he reappeared and sank onto the settee with a sigh.
'What took so long?'
With a look of hurt confusion, the boy said, 'Was it long? I'm sorry. I didn't mean to dawdle.'
'How long does it take to summon a House-elf?' His tone was a bit sharp, but his patience had worn quite thin today.
'I . . . er . . . House elf?'
Sudden comprehension made Severus bite back a curse aimed at himself. 'You cleaned up the dishes yourself, then?'
Harry nodded, that lower lip firmly in his teeth and worry in his eyes. 'Yes, sir.'
'I extend my apologies, Harry. I had not meant for you to clean up the mess on your own, but I can see how my words might have been misinterpreted.' He inclined his head slightly. 'And no, it wasn't long, for the work you did.'
'Thank you, sir.' The expression of relief on Harry's face made Severus feel even worse, but he knew they had more unpleasantness to get through before they settled down for the night.
'I assume you are expecting me to berate you for what you said to Professor Lupin this evening,' he said, jumping right in.
