Walk the Shadows

to make mince pie out of me anymore, not over what happened with the Headmaster, at least. He does, however, think it would behoove me to apologize to the man in person, even after I already sent a note on my own.

He's probably right, but I . . . I don't think I can face him right now. Maybe . . . next year some time, instead.

Oh . . . . Fuck. School starts a week from tomorrow.

---

'Do you have all your assignments done for the start of term?' Snape asked, after wiping his mouth, a quick dab at each corner, then placing the serviette, folded lengthwise, next to his plate.

Watching him instead of eating his own dinner, Harry nodded. 'For weeks now.'

'I will look over your work tonight. Retrieve it immediately after we're finished here. I will return it to you for corrections by tomorrow evening.'

Harry pulled a face, but made sure he didn't whine when he said, 'Do you really have to?'

Snape stared at him, lifting an eyebrow. 'Yes, I really do.'

'Why? Is it a guardian thing?'

'Have you never had anyone go over your work before?'

Now it was Harry's turn to lift an eyebrow, except he had to raise them both. He was going to learn that trick; he was! 'What do you think?' Snape sighed and closed his eyes for a moment as if pained, and Harry relented. 'Actually, Hermione sometimes went over my work, but only when I asked her to. Or sometimes gave her bribes.'

'I see. Well, now that I am responsible for you, I shall make certain your homework is of a quality to reflect your changed circumstances.'

Harry sighed. He supposed it was a small price to pay for an actual protective-y guardian. 'Okay, fine. Potions, too?'

Snape actually smiled, but there was more a predatory air about it than any actual humor. 'I am actually quite looking forward to seeing that work.'

'Yeah, I'll bet.' Harry poked a little more at the chicken in some kind of red sauce on his plate, and swished it around in the mashed potatoes to form a pulpy pink mass, before giving it up and putting his fork down. 'May I be excused?'

Inclining his head, Snape said, 'You may. But re—'

'Retrieve my homework, yeah, I got that.'

'Points off for repeated use of a restricted word. Impudence will get you nowhere, Mr. Potter.'

Harry stood and crossed his arms over his chest, not even bothering to point out that there was nothing Snape was actually taking points off of. They'd never really decided. He'd have to think about that some. Maybe they could use it for hedging against chores or something. He assumed he'd have chores, now that he was an actual ward and everything. But first . . . 'Look, could you please not call me that? Even if it's just when we're here, okay? Every time you do, it makes me feel like you're only seeing my father. And I know he was an arse to you, and I feel bad about it, but I'm really not him, you know?'

Gaze sharp, Snape leaned back in his chair and crossed his own arms, looking rather more casual than Harry felt. Harry's face warmed, like he was the one who should be backing down, but he wasn't going to, not this time. Finally, after what seemed an eternity, Snape nodded, once. 'I shall endeavor to avoid that particular epithet in the future.'