Observation the First

Harry is the only one awake when Snape arrives back at Grimmauld Place.

He is sitting on the stairs, trying to decide whether he wants to risk waking the portrait of Sirius' mother this early in the morning just for a glass of water, when the front door suddenly opens, and Snape all but falls through it. The Potions professor manages to shut the door quietly, and then slumps back against it, his eyes closed.

Studying him, Harry realises just how tired and . . . haunted his most hated professor looks. It's been two weeks since Harry arrived at Grimmauld Place, and nobody had heard anything from Snape since the end of the school year. Dumbledore had only been here twice, and he had looked desperately worried.

Thinking on where Snape has been, Harry can see why, even if he doesn't agree. Snape is trembling, and his skin is even whiter than usual, his hair sticking to his damp forehead. He is holding his left arm awkwardly, and Harry can see that his shoulder is covered in blood.

Voldemort apparently had trust issues with Snape.

Finally, with a huge shuddering sigh, Snape levers himself away from the front door and unsteadily makes his way towards the staircase leading down to the kitchen, his hand trailing along the wall as though he needs something to anchor himself to.

The last sight Harry has of him, as he disappears around the corner, is of Snape pausing, taking in a deep breath, and straightening himself to the best of his ability before continuing.

With much to think about, Harry retreats upstairs to bed.

Observation the Second

Harry doesn't see Snape again until three days later. He is hiding from Mrs Weasley's strenuous efforts to form a cleaning party, and has taken refuge in the library. Slouched low in a high-backed leather chair facing the large fireplace at the far end of the room, he is hidden from everyone, and so Snape doesn't notice Harry sitting there when he enters the library.

Twisting his neck so as to keep an eye on Snape while remaining hidden, Harry is unsurprised when Snape, looking much better than he did when he arrived, heads straight for the bookcases. What does surprise Harry is the fact that it isn't the Dark Arts books that has attracted Snape.

Gently running his long slender fingers over the spines of the Muggle crime stories – brought in by Sirius, knowing it would set his mother's portrait off to see them sully her library – Snape seems absorbed by them. Watching Snape choose a book, and bring it to his nose, inhaling deeply, is almost like watching Hermione. She devours books of all kinds, but Harry realises now that she never reads anything just for enjoyment of it anymore . . . it's always about what knowledge she can gain from it.

As Snape selects several books and carefully carries them out, Harry resolves that this year, he will help Hermione find the joy in books again.

Observation the Third

The kitchen is exceptionally crowded one day a week later. Since the house is under the Fidelius Charm, then any mail is directed to Hogwarts, and brought by owl once a week. Harry notices that Snape is in the kitchen, too, although it seems more likely that he was there first, and just got stuck as everyone else poured in. He is standing in the furthest corner from everyone, arms folded across his chest and looking very put out.

When the mail package finally arrives, everyone gets very busy finding and opening their own mail, ignoring Snape's sneer. Obviously he isn't expecting to receive anything.

Therefore, when the Headmaster hands over a thick envelope to him, Harry manages to see the look of surprise that briefly flies over Snape's face, before returning to its previous sneer. He can't tell who the letter is from . . . but it's of a very high quality cream-coloured parchment, and Harry can see enough of the wax seal from where he's sitting to take a very good guess.

Snape looks down at the handwriting on the front, and his face goes blank. Completely and utterly blank. He doesn't move to open the envelope, just stares at it, his eyes burning with something that Harry can't – daren't – put a name to. Then he abruptly crumples it in one fist and shoves his way out of the corner, ignoring the protests trailing in his wake.

Making an almost inaudible humming noise in his throat, Harry turns his attention to his own mail and his OWL grades. Obviously Snape didn't appreciate the letter from the Malfoys.

Observation the Fourth

Once again ensconced in the kitchen later that night, Harry sips his butterbeer and contemplates his OWL scores. What career does he want to take up once he leaves Hogwarts, assuming that Voldemort doesn't kill him first? He isn't even sure what his choices are, let alone what he wants to do.

He is jolted from his musings by the kitchen door swinging open. Snape strides through, but then comes to a halt when he spots Harry sitting at the table. After a minute, Snape draws himself up and continues towards the sink, obviously planning on ignoring Harry.

Two minutes later, Snape lets out a sound of disgust, and Harry looks up to see him holding up the copper kettle and examining a hole that has mysteriously appeared in the bottom of it.

"Blasted house-elf," Snape mutters to himself. "Can't even do his job properly."

Harry concentrates, waves his wand and mutters a quick spell that Mrs Weasley had taught him the day before. To his delight, a cup of steaming tea appears on the table. He nudges it closer to Snape and clears his throat, drawing Snape's attention to it.

With a muttered thanks that sounds as though Snape is half choking on it, he picks up the china cup and gingerly sips at it, apparently expecting it to be laden with sugar, or salt, or something worse. An expression of pleased surprise flits across his face when he tastes it.

With a regal nod of his head towards Harry, Snape carries the teacup out of the kitchen.

It isn't until the door closes behind Snape that Harry realises that somehow he has come to know – and know well – just how Snape likes his tea.

Observation the Fifth

It is the last night before school starts again, and they are all gathered in the first floor parlour. Hermione is fretting over what classes she wants to take for her NEWTs, and the twins are showing off some of their new products that they plan to sell, now that Harry has given them his Tri-Wizard winnings.

Dumbledore and Snape are huddled together near the door, speaking in urgent tones that are not quite whispers, but not loud enough to be overheard by anyone else.

Unless, of course, you happen to have one of Fred and George's Extendable Ears.

Harry can see one wriggling its way slowly across the carpet towards the Headmaster and Snape. He doesn't think they will get very far . . . and he's proven right when Snape suddenly lets out a sharp oath and makes an abrupt slashing gesture with his hand.

The Extendable Ear sparks into nothingness, the light running along the length of the string and exploding over Fred – or maybe George – who is still holding it. Whichever Weasley twin it is promptly sprouts furry tentacles everywhere, and everybody falls about laughing at the squawks of dismay.

Even Snape has one corner of his mouth curled up in a semi-smile before he turns in a swish of cloak and disappears out of the door.

Stunned, Harry realises that Snape actually likes the twins and their antics.

Accidental Observation

Two weeks after the start of term, Snape is patrolling the corridors after curfew, hoping to catch enough miscreants to enable him to clean several parts of the dungeons that desperately need it.

Just before he rounds a corner on the third floor, he hears whispers coming from somewhere ahead of him. Pausing, he listens for a while, and slowly, a delighted grin appears on his face.

It is Potter and his friends.

About to stride around the corner and scare the life out of them, Snape hesitates when he hears his own name mentioned. It appears Weasley has taken exception to Potter being forced into the NEWT level Potions class, under the impression that it's Snape's doing. Although he doesn't want to agree with Weasley, on general principle alone, Snape is also annoyed about this. Potter's OWL score didn't meet his high standards, so why should a sub-par student, even Potter, be allowed into a class that is clearly beyond his capabilities? Potter, it appears, agrees with him.

Shaking his head, Snape is again preparing to stride forth when he is stopped once again.

Potter is not agreeing with Weasley – he is defending Snape.

Stunned, Snape sags back against the wall, as the argument reaches a crescendo of angry whispers, and then abruptly dies away. He has no idea why Potter didn't join in with his friend's name-calling. Maybe Potter is finally growing up?

Shaking his head, Snape straightens and turns back towards the dungeons.

He wonders how long it will take the Gryffindors to find out where the extra 10 points has come from.