Chapter 3 – The Confrontation

I'm not a native speaker of English!

Chapter 3 – The Confrontation

They met Hermione in the common room and headed to the Great Hall together for breakfast.

Again Harry couldn't eat as much as he would have liked. It felt as if his stomach had shrunken over the summer.

Hermione was watching him out of the corner of her eye.

After asking him many times if he was okay she was obviously losing her patience.

I hope she doesn't plan to speak with Professor McGonagall over my eating problems, Harry thought, worried.

His musing was interrupted by Professor McGonagall approaching the Gryffindor table. She handed out the new time tables. When she gave Harry his time table, she eyed him closely. Harry couldn't hold her searching gaze and lowered his eyes. He was very glad when he could see her walk away out of the corner of his eye.

When he checked his schedule, he groaned. "Double Potions with the Slytherins first subject today. Couldn't it be Magical Creatures?"

"Oh, come on, Harry. Don't you remember that Professor Snape doesn't single you out anymore? You even seemed to start liking Potions a lot at the end of last year," Hermione reminded him.

"Yes, but he's still not the person I would like to see right now." And I don't want to brew anything right now when I can hardly concentrate from the lack of sleep and food lately. Snape will realize it for sure and then what shall I say? Harry thought, scared. "I hoped to see Hagrid as soon as possible." It was a lie, but Harry hoped that Hermione and Ron would buy it because they knew how much Harry liked Hagrid.

It seemed to work because none of them pressed the issue further.

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Harry was trying hard to concentrate on his potion. God, I'm so tired and just want to sleep, he thought while cutting the ingredients for his potion. Several times Snape, while passing his cauldron, paused for a moment. That made Harry very nervous and his hands shook. I hope he didn't notice it, he thought worriedly.

With some help from Hermione he finished his potion in time. He packed his things and already was turning to leave when Snape's voice made him freeze. "Mr. Potter, a word, please. Miss Granger, give this pass to your next teacher to excuse Mr. Potter."

Hermione took the letter from the professor and left. When she passed Harry she gave him a worried look.

Ron felt he had to lighten Harry up. "At least he can't hand you over to Voldemort. Maybe only a little bit of cauldron cleaning and then we will see you again."

"I heard that, Mr. Weasley, and if you don't want to break the record of your twin brothers in getting a detention in your very first class you ought to leave right now." The dangerous voice of Professor Snape came directly from behind Ron.

Ron jumped startled and turned in Snape's direction. "Sorry, sir," he apologized quickly and almost ran from the room.

Now Harry and Snape were alone in the classroom. Snape was eyeing him, and Harry had the feeling he could see right through him. When the professor didn't make a move to speak, Harry became even more nervous.

When the tension became unbearable, Harry anxiously looked up into Snape's face and asked, "Professor?"

"Follow me!" With that Snape was striding to the door. Harry was shocked. He thought Snape would question him about his lack of concentration or about the tremor in his hands, but he didn't think that he would want to take him somewhere. Oh, Merlin, please not to Dumbledore! Or McGonagall. She was already looking at me suspiciously this morning.

"Potter, I'm waiting." Snape was standing in the door frame.

"Where are we going, Professor?" Harry asked while trying to catch up with Snape, who already had started to walk again.

"I said follow me, Potter, not ask me questions."

Harry started having problems with his breathing while trying to keep up with Snape.

When Severus noticed that Harry was having problems following, he slowed down. But he still tried to go fast so that Harry would be too occupied with keeping his pace to realize where they were heading. His plan worked until they rounded the final corner and the heavy door of the hospital wing was visible.

Severus had already slowed down so that he was beside Harry when Harry realized where they were.

He stopped abruptly and looked in panic at his professor. "Professor Snape, why are we here?" He still had the slight hope that Snape just wanted to get some potion vials or so from Madam Pomfrey or wanted to speak with her about something which didn't concern him. But deep inside he knew that his cover had been blown.

"We are here because you obviously think your teachers are morons, Mr. Potter. You hardly ate anything the last two meals, and it is clear under your pathetic Glamour Charm that you are totally exhausted. Did you really think you could fool us?"

Panic was all Harry could feel. His heart beat fast, sweat was forming on his forehead, and he started to back away from Snape.

But Snape was faster and grabbed Harry's arm. He pulled Harry so near that their noses almost touched. "You will listen now, Harry."

Oh, God, he called me by my first name, Harry realized.

"I don't know what happened, but I will not wait until you break down because you are too proud to tell anyone what your problem is. You will let Madam Pomfrey check you thoroughly now."

"No, Professor, please. There isn't anything wrong with me. Please let me go," Harry pleaded and tried to wriggle out of Snape's grip, but Severus didn't let go.

"Harry, I can drag you through this door and tie you to the examination table, or you could freely walk through this door and retain your dignity."

"No, Professor, you don't understand." Harry tried with all his power to free himself now, but Severus was encircling him from behind and forced his arms to cross over his chest. He was stuck. The moment this happened Harry lost it. He started sobbing, "Please, Professor, I don't want her to see... I will get in trouble. Uncle Vernon will not allow me to come to Hogwarts anymore." Tears were running down his face.

Severus was shocked. That wasn't what he had assumed. He thought Harry had tried some stupid experiment with the twins. But Harry's reaction made clear that something more serious was going on. "Shh, Harry, calm down. Whatever it is, Madam Pomfrey will help you. You don't have to be embarrassed."

"Please, sir, Hogwarts is everything I have. Please, I don't want to lose it!" Harry sobbed out of control. Something about being held like this was letting him feel safe. Maybe Snape would help him. He tried to turn a little bit to the side to lean his head against Snape's chest. Severus felt what Harry needed and let him turn. Harry buried his face in the professor's chest and slowly calmed down when Severus' arms encircled him again.

"What happened, Harry?" He already could imagine what this was all about but he had to hear it from Harry.

"I can't, sir. Please, don't force me to speak about it." Harry hands clutched the front of Severus' robes desperately.

"It's okay. I won't force you to speak about it, but we have to let Poppy check up on you, Harry." When he felt Harry starting to protest, he stopped him. "No, Harry, there is no way around it." He grabbed Harry's shoulders and held his sobbing form a little away from him to look into his face. "If you wish, I will stay with you but you will let Poppy examine you. You are tired and obviously injured. There is no way around it." He wiped the tears from Harry's face.

It felt good to have Snape here. It was as if a weight had been taken from him the moment Snape was there and realized that something wasn't right. He wanted him to stay and never leave him alone again.

Snape didn't wait for another reaction from Harry. The boy had calmed down as much as possible given the situation, and so he just led him by his shoulder to the hospital wing. Harry followed his lead a little reluctantly. Only when Snape opened the door did he have to hold Harry's arm and guide him more forcefully into the infirmary.