Harry Potter One Shots

(5) The Cupboard

All rights belong to the author, enahma

By the beginning of Christmas holidays, Harry felt utterly exhausted and not only a little bit behind in his studies. Fortunately, Hermione constructed a study plan for Harry for the holidays and both she and Ron decided to stay and study, so Harry had the hope of catching up with all those things he had neglected in the first two months of school.

Hermione let them have free evenings, so Harry could enjoy some tea with Hagrid and once even with McGonagall, who was absolutely pleased with the improvement in Harry's grades and behaviour.

Although Snape declared their Remedial Potions finished, Harry didn't give up going to the Occlumency lessons, and to their 'Infirmary sessions' to brew potions for Madam Pomfrey. When Harry, after Snape's dismissal of him from Remedial Potions, had first returned the next Monday, the Potions Master had seemed bewildered.

"What are you doing here, Potter?" he barked nervously.

"You said free help is always handy," Harry answered cheekily and slipped into the room next to the frozen Snape.

"So, you decided not to have mercy on Madam Pomfrey and waste even more of the school's potions ingredients," he said in a voice which was intended to sound cold, but Harry just grinned.

"Of course!"

Harry's reaction jolted Snape even more.

"I've never thought I would agree with a Weasley in my life, but you really have gone mad, Potter," he whispered wide-eyed, but he didn't protest again.

That had been the occasion when Harry realised how easy and somehow warm their relationship had become. Even his Occlumency studies had progressed tremendously. When he asked Snape about the reasons for this fast improvement, he answered Harry in his usual manner.

"Honestly, Potter, I don't have to explain you about trust!" he snapped.

"My trust or yours?" Harry asked back.

Snape growled.

"Both, you stupid kid."

The answer surprised Harry enough to dare ask the question he had been long curious about, "Sir, why didn't you destroy that... cupboard door?"

"Because I couldn't," Snape hissed back, but Harry couldn't detect venom his tone, just embarrassment.

"Why?"

"They cast some protecting Charm on it, I guess," he said irritated. "I tried to break it many times, you can imagine... I think it was Black who found that Charm in his home library... I can't break it until I know precisely what the spell is," he waved dismissively. "Off you go now, Potter, those Gryffindor friends of yours will be nervous if you spend too much of your time here... They will think the Slytherin monster consumed you for dinner..."

Leaving, Harry was thinking about Snape's unsuccessful attempts. Those prats! How did they dare...! But even if Snape couldn't break that Charm, he would. He had an advantage Snape didn't have, after all: he knew one of the people who had cast it. And Christmas was quite near anyway...

The real breakthrough in their relationship happened on Christmas Eve, a very adequate date to make peace and such things in your life.

They were having Christmas dinner in the Great Hall, the eleven of them: just the three Gryffindors and a Hufflepuff second year (she had to move into Gryffindor tower though) remained in the school this year out of the student population, and seven adults: Dumbledore, McGonagall, Snape, Trelawney, Hagrid, Flitwick and Filch. Snape, after having a few spoonfuls of the traditional vegetable soup, suddenly stood up and left the hall in an obvious hurry.