A/n: I'm sorry it's taken so long guys. RL plus writer's block, have made this chapter a real trial, but I hope the content and length are satisfactory.

In my haste to get this up for you guys, please forgive if there are a few editing mistakes.

Prompt: (#664) Broken Reflection

About the Past

Or

Talons and Tea Leaves

That morning, following his removal from Privet Drive, Harry found himself awake bright and early and entirely too apprehensive. Uncertain what it is exactly that he should expect of the following weeks spent living in such close proximity to a man that despised him.

Nothing good, he was sure, causing his insides to knot themselves and weight so heavily into his stomach, that he wondered at the fact that he was able to get up and walk around at all.

However, barring an exceptionally awkward and terse breakfast with the man present- where Snape proceeded to enlist all the rules that he was expected to follow while under Snape's supervision while glaring so heatedly at Harry that Harry thought he was burning a hole into him- it honestly wasn't as bad as he thought it would be.

The amount of insults that Snape had thrown his way were kept to a bare minimum, that Harry could count them on one hand. And they were significantly less insulting than Harry had grown accustomed to in class.

Whether this was attributed to the fact that Snape was too tired to muster up the energy to be at his sharpest- a fact that could be supported by the dark circles that seem to ring his eyes and the exceptional scowl on his face- or if it was attributed to the fact that Harley was present, Harry was uncertain.

Considering what he'd witnessed the previous evening… the way that Snape seemed to compromise and even cave to Harley's wishes, Harry felt inclined to think that it was because of Harley.

Even in spite, or perhaps because of the snippets of discussion he'd heard the previous night, Harry was uncertain why exactly Snape seemed to interact so differently with Harley than he'd expect him to interact with anyone. But then… perhaps Snape was in the habit of treating his elder Slytherins with less acidity and cruelty than he was wont to do with everyone else.

After all, Snape could hardly be nasty to everyone, could he? Horribly ill-tempered and anti-social as Snape seemed, Harry didn't think that Snape treated Dumbledore, or even McGonagall with the level of venom or even disdain that seemed to be his permanent state of being.

However, all this was shoved to the back of his mind as he found himself seated on the grounds with Harley with the sun beating down on their dark heads.

There were no plans for them, though Harley written to Hagrid, requesting if they could visit with him after lunch. And though some might have considered it boring, Harry was rather enjoying spending his morning with nothing to do but lay with his head propped on his arms, and stare at the clouds overhead.

But as much as he wanted nothing more than to enjoy the peace of laying on the grass, the warmth of the summer sun warming him as much as his present company, Harry couldn't completely shove everything from the previous evening out of his head. And loathe as he was to break the easy, lazy morning of cloud watching, he couldn't help it.

"Harley?" Harry asks tentatively, unsure really, what he wanted to say.

"Hmm?" Harley hums in response, sounding tired and Harry briefly bites his lips as he turns his head to look over at the older girl who has her eyes closed and a serene expression on her face. She tilts her head slightly in his direction as he remains quiet, feeling slightly guilty that he disturbed the girl, who he now thinks perhaps didn't get anymore sleep than Snape.

"What happened… yesterday? Why were both you and Snape-" and he doesn't know how to phrase his questions. Or bring up what he overheard. "I…" he says, looking away and missing the way Harley squints her eyes slightly open after an apprehensive expression briefly flitted and vacated the muscles of her face. "Something happened… and I feel like somehow, it involves me."

And Harley is sitting up now, which prompts Harry to sit up as well and look to the girl, who suddenly is grimacing and running her fingers through her hair. And now a knot is forming again in Harry's stomach, and he almost wishes he hadn't asked.

Was Harley upset with him for asking? Was she going to send him away because of it? Is he going to be punished by exile for looking a gift horse in the mouth and not just letting things be?

However, before he could work himself into a panic, Harley releases a sigh and there is a soft, comforting touch on his shoulder. Harry blinks in surprise at the girl, who is now looking at him with her own emerald eyes sparkling from behind her glasses with something that looks like concern and uncertainty.

"I don't know as much as I wish to, to be able to tell you with certainty and assure you. What I know is limited to things I've heard- and you can't always believe everything you hear," Harley tells him, her tone serious and almost severe while looks him in the eyes with unfaltering determination and compassion.

And Harry feels some of the knot ease to know that Harley doesn't seemt to be upset with him, or withdrawing from him. If anything she seems somehow that much more solid a presence in his life, causing his heart to expand and warm, while his throat tightens almost painfully.

"I want you to keep that in mind, Harry, when I tell you what I've heard. I want you to know that what I've heard, and what everyone thinks, could be wrong," she tells him after a pause of thought in which she seemed to be wondering what more to say. And the way she looks at him so seriously, he finds himself nodding and she nods her own head in acknowledgement. "And I want you to remember, Harry, that no matter what I tell you… that you are never alone. That while I'm here… I'll always protect you, and try to help you in anyway that I can."

Harry can barely nod at this, and the way that her fingers squeeze comfortingly on his shoulder makes him momentarily forget the growing apprehension in his chest. Because she's so grave and earnest, that he's certain that what she has to tell him, will be anything but pleasant.

But he thinks, maybe it won't be so bad. Not with Harley being there.

"But before I tell you what I've heard, I need you to promise me something," she says, and she's somehow more solemn in that moment than with anything she's said previously that he finds himself sitting up straighter. "I need you to promise me that what I tell you- that whatever follows, you will not go off alone and do something dangerous. That you will not cut me out. Because if anything were to happen to you because I told you this, I would never be able to live with myself. Understand?"

Harry frowns before nodding his head. His stomach once more feels like lead, and he thinks his heart is thundering with trepidation at what she's about to say. Because it seems so dire that he suddenly doesn't feel like a Gryffindor at all, and wants to swallow the last fifteen minutes or so and just go back to cloud-watching.

"I promise… I won't do anything dangerous, or cut you out," he promises though his tongue feels like lead. And he isn't certain why she thinks he would cut her out- even as he guiltily remembers those few months of the previous school year when he'd avoided her.

Harley seemed to take a deep breath after watching him for deception and nodding her head.

"There is a prison named Azkaban, where dangerous, wizarding criminals are kept. The worst of our kind- or the one's that have been caught at least."

Surprise at the topic, and how Harry finds it impossible to see why he should care or how it may relate to him, makes his stomach muscles ease and his heart to slow. He tilts his head, as he is filled with confusion and curiosity.

Somehow, Harry has never considered what happens to Wizards who break the law and must be sent to some sort of prison. And it makes him wonder how they are kept locked away, and from simply using magic to escape. Because somehow, taking a wizard's wand, doesn't seem like enough.

"Azkaban is guarded by these beings… awful creatures called Dementors, whose mere presence can take away the ability for you to feel happiness and make you relive your worst memories. Long-term exposure to them can drive wizards insane, or even take away their ability to live."

"They can kill you?" Harry asks, to which Harley nods somberly and Harry feels a shiver run up his spine at the mere thought of such dark creatures.

"But that's not the worst of it. They are also able to suck out a wizard's soul… something called the Dementor's kiss," Harley says, and Harry finds his eyes widen in a way that would be comical, if it weren't for the abject horror he feels at the thought of that.

Steal your soul?! And though Harry had never thought of his soul, or even wondered if they were real, and even without knowing strictly what that means to have a soul… he knows instinctively that to be without a soul is not merely unnatural but completely petrifying.

Harley nods her head at Harry's appropriate expression, and Harry almost wonders how anyone could possibly be awful enough to warrant such punishment. And for a moment, he almost panics that these things… these Dementors, exist in the world and could be roaming around, free.

"The Dementors are what make Azkaban impossible to escape from. It is why no criminal to be sent there, has ever escaped," Harley went on. "That is, until yesterday. A prisoner named… Sirius Black has escaped."

Harley paused perceptively, saying the name of the prisoner only after swallowing a lump in her throat, her voice coming out thicker. Like the name itself was a slug that was thick but oozing, crawling from her throat.

"Sirius Black?"

"Those are the facts as I know them so far."

"But… who is he? And what's he got to do with me?" Harry asked, still confused in spite of everything he's learned so far.

Harley turns away from him then and draws her knees up to her chest, holding them loosely in her arms.

"Twelve years ago, Sirius Black was sent to Azkaban because eyewitnesses state that he blew up a street, resulting in the death of many muggles, along with a wizard named Peter Pettigrew- the very morning after Voldemort killed… the morning after Voldemort disappeared."

Harry again feels his stomach tightening, and a thickness in his own throat.

He is caught off guard, though he's still uncertain as to the connection between himself and Sirius Black, by the mention of his parents' murder.

"Sirius Black… it is said that he was secretly a servant of Voldemort, a traitor who passed information to Voldemort- including the location of where… your parents were hiding."

Suddenly, Harry finds it impossible to breathe. He is barely able to hear the sound of Harley saying that Sirius Black was sentenced to Azkaban for life, without a trial because the blood is rushing so loudly in his ears, that it sounds louder than a raging storm.

"He's… he's-" Harry finds himself mumbling, cutting across Harley's words. "He's the reason-"

He isn't sure when, but his field of vision has blurred. For a moment, he wildly wonders if he lost his glasses as his chest continues to heave while he tries to get air in his lungs. Trying to breathe in spite of the ton of stones that seemed to have settled on his chest.

But then Harley is grabbing hold of him, and he feels himself being pulled into her arms. Her hands rubbing his back while her voice flits over his head calmly, telling him to breathe. That she's got him. That he's safe. That he's not alone.

Harry isn't sure how long it takes for him to calm his breathing and heart. And as he blinks, finding himself to be laying on his back staring at the sky once more, sniffling and surprised that he'd allowed Harley to hold him, or that somehow he's calmed down and laid down- he is almost shocked that he feels suddenly so empty. So absolutely gutted.

"And he's free," Harry says, his voice sounding foreign and rough in his ears. But his head feels fuzzy, and he doesn't care, because it feels like his heart has been severed from the rest of him, and is suspended and useless in his chest… like it's nothing more than a useless decoration.

"They think he's coming for you," Harley whispers severely, with hesitance. "To finish what his master started."

"Good," Harry finds himself saying, as something like a beast, stirs inside him. Something savage has awakened in him, and suddenly he doesn't feel so empty. Beside him, he feels his fists clench.

"Come what may, Harry, you're not alone," Harley whispers, a soft reminder.

Harry doesn't know if that's an endorsement for his vengeance and a promise to help. Or if it's a reiteration to her commitment to protect him from anything and anyone. But Harry feels some of the tension in him ease, and he feels the rage bleed out and be replaced with concern for Harley.

And suddenly that savage beast in his breast, feels more like a frightened puppy at the thought that… whatever he does- it would affect Harley.

He remembers her in the Hospital Wing, after taking a bludger to the chest for him. And he remembers with painful clarity the way his heart twisted, at the thought that Tom Riddle had killed Harley and taken her body for his own, like she were nothing more than a doll. And the recklessness in her actions out of her overprotective love for him, makes him suddenly hesitant and fearful.

Because… he can't risk Harley… not when she's all he has left. Not knowing that she would stand between him and a murderer, and that this time, she might not pull through.

X

It was reasonably safe to assume that Harley was full of doubt- which had nothing to do with the Hippogriff that Hagrid had trotted out for them and was presently trying to get Harry to become acquainted with.

She wasn't sure she did the right thing, telling Harry about Sirius Black. The absolute and complete abject misery and anger that it caused in him was absolutely devastating for Harley to witness. And of course, she felt responsible for it.

And she knew, as she knew herself, that Harry could not- would not- leave it alone! That if Sirius Black was out there… or was coming… that a confrontation for the truth… for revenge… for anything that might offer closure, was inevitable. Because she wanted that… needed that, for herself too.

But if anything happened to Harry because of it… because she told him...

Her stomach knotted itself and she felt chilled to her bones. While the Forbidden Forrest offered some shielding from the sun and the heat, it was not so much that Harley should feel the need to hug herself to ward off the biting cold.

But was there a choice? Harley didn't think so. It was as she told Snape… the truth had a nasty habit of coming to light. Sooner or later, Harry would hear about Sirius Black and how they related- there were plenty of people in the Wizarding World who knew… and many of them resided in the castle or probably had children in the castle who had access to them.

Dumbledore, McGonagall, Snape, Hagrid- all of them had been at Hogwarts at the same time as James and Lily Potter- all of them knowing that Sirius Black and James Potter were best friends, a fact that Mina's mother was even aware of, having been one of their classmates. All it would take was one overheard conversation, and Harry would have found out in the absolutely worst way possible and with no one to offer emotional support.

It was better this way, Harley tried to convince herself as she worried her lip and thought over the things she'd said to Harry. Or rather, the things that she had left unsaid.

She didn't tell Harry that Sirius Black had been friends with James Potter. She hadn't been able to. Not when he was already reacting so strongly to the fact that he might have given away the location of the Potter's hiding, resulting in their death. She didn't even really had the chance, not when providing him comfort had taken precedence as he fell apart.

And she couldn't tell him whether or not Sirius Black was his godfather because she simply did not know. She could only guess, based on what was true in her own world, and the knowledge that it was widely believed that Sirius Black and James Potter were closer than even brothers. But Mina's mother did not mention it, so if Sirius Black was Harry's godfather, it might have been something only known by close friends and not public or common knowledge.

For her part, Harley was uncertain what to believe. It was difficult to wrap her mind around the idea that Sirius- in any world- could betray James Potter. That the man who was so loyal that it was imprinted into his very soul- that even his animagus form was a dog- could ever betray anyone he considered a friend. The Sirius she knew would die before betraying her father… or Remus… or Harley herself.

This world was so much like her own… that she simply couldn't believe that Sirius had really killed so many people, or betrayed the Potters. How could Sirius be so different, when everyone else seemed almost exactly the same?

But then, Harley had to remind herself as she'd done many times since she'd heard the news… this world was not exactly the same.

Neville Longbottom hadn't been chosen by Voldemort, simply because the Potter's had a girl. Neville Longbottom wouldn't be the one to bear the burden of world that was burning on his shoulders.

Things were different… and she couldn't take the chance on being mistaken about Sirius Black simply because she didn't want it to be true. Not when she had Harry to protect.

Which brought to mind another point that Harley hadn't really considered until this moment.

Was the Sirius Black of this reality an a-

Before the thought could fully form, her thoughts were scattered by a rough, loud, enthusiastic voice. Harley nearly jumped as she turned to look to her left where Hagrid was standing by her and towering over her.

Harley frowned as the idea that she was so lost in her thoughts, that she completely missed the part-giant's approach. Looking around herself, she found as her heart jolted, that Harry and the hippogriff were both gone. Her eyes nearly bugged out of her head as she looked frantically for Harry, only to spot him on the back of a flying Hippogriff as he took off.

"Hagrid!" Harley called in alarm, moving as if to run after the hippogriff only to stop at the futility of it as she turned her alarmed gaze at Hagrid. "You're going to get him killed!"

Hagrid frowned and grunted. "No 'e won't. Buckbeak's taken quite a shine to 'im."

"Hagrid," Harley exhaled, trying to keep calm even as she turned to watch Harry's progress. Her tongue became tied in fear and the million and one things she wanted to tell Hagrid about why putting a not-quite thirteen-year-old on the back of a wild creature was an awful idea. It would be futile, she thought, even as she tried to keep from ripping her own hair out.

"He's perfectly safe with Buckbeak. Hippogriff's are proud creatures but show 'em respect and you'll be fine," Hagrid said confidently. "I was thinking about introducing the third years to 'em."

"Hagrid, that is a very bad idea," Harley countered, even as she felt herself relaxing as the Hippogriff returned, bringing Harry back safely.

Hagrid informed them, as soon as they'd settled in his hut with him, about his new post and while Harry and Harley couldn't be happier for him, Harley was beginning to wonder if it had been a wise choice.

"Harry did great with him," Hagrid was pointing out, smiling and moving towards Harry who was grinning madly and had a flush on his cheeks while his eyes sparkled. Harley did not approach the Hippigriff as Hagrid helped the exhilarated Harry off the hippogriff.

"Just because Harry did great, does not mean a whole class of thirteen-year-olds will, Hagrid. That many scared and nervous kids, in one place with a bunch of wild creatures- it's never a good combination, Hagrid," Harley tried to reason. "It's a disaster waiting to happen. The atmosphere alone will put the Hippogriff's on edge and if one of them gets spooked, you'll have a rampage on your hands and bunch of scared, potentially injured third years. Don't do it!"

Hagrid frowned unhappily but Harley hoped that he was at least thinking about what she said and seriously rethinking his first lesson with the third years.

"Hagrid… if you'd like, I could… help you with your lesson plans?" Harley offered delicately as Harry looked between them, catching on that they'd been discussing something serious and that he should perhaps not interrupt.

Hagrid seemed to mull it over before offering a nod of his head. Causing Harley to smile at him in relief.

"Your enthusiasm and heart… they're in the right place. They always are, Hagrid," Harley offered softly, putting a hand on his arm and causing her to look at her with a small smile slowly blossoming on his face.

X

Severus wished he could say the persistent headache that had taken place since Black's escape two previous nights before could be explained by the presence of Harley and Potter living in such close proximity to him. However, both brats were rarely in his presence for long- almost exclusively limited to the occasional breakfast and dinner. Perhaps even the hour or two before he sent off the Potter brat to bed.

No one could say, in spite of his absence, that Severus was being a negligent guardian.

He was well aware that the brats were spending the majority of their days with Hagrid, who in spite of having questionable common sense, could be trusted to keep them safe. And in any case, he'd assigned one of the Hogwarts House elves to keep an eye on both brats at all times, while remaining unseen.

However, as irritating as it was to be so near to both Harley and Potter, he knew neither one were to blame for his lack of sleep. Nor was the fact that Sirius Black was off wandering the country, still eluding capture, the cause for his especially sleepless nights, which were no doubt the cause for his near-constant headache that even Potions could not fully alleviate.

No… what was really troubling the very few hours of sleep he could even manage on a normal basis, were the dreams… vivid dreams that felt more like memories, that plagued him nightly. And the feeling that… he wasn't quite alone or even himself, inside his own head.

Severus tried to tell himself, that the latter part was ludicrous. Especially as he was quite the accomplished Occlumens… and he could feel no foreign presence when he stopped to examine his mind.

But… every morning… the feeling persisted. It lingered… echoing in his mind, long after he was fully in control of all his senses, and prodded at the shields that guarded his mind, even when asleep.

The dreams too… they lingered and remained quite vivid, long after the dreams should have faded.

Laying down on his back, staring up at the ceiling after poking and prodding at his shields once more, Severus turned his mind back to the dream on the night before, and the one from the night previous, knowing as he examined it, that they were both connected.

"What does Dumbledore tell you… in your meetings?" Harley's voice asked, clear, in spite of the echo he'd heard in the dream...as if her voice were bouncing on the walls of the hall, where he'd been standing just around the corner.

"I can't tell you," a youthful male voice had supplied with regret- one he did not recognize… even as another part of him knew the voice, and felt a swell of hot, unpleasant jealousy pitch his stomach around like it was a quaffle.

Harley sighed, and he could hear though he could not see, what must've been a tired smile in her voice. "I know… but… will it at least help you… defeat Him?"

"I don't know… I don't even think I can… It just… it feels like it was a mistake- it was all a big mistake. He just… he's coming after me because I'm a boy! Not that… that I want you to-" the boy started, his voice going from uncertain, to angry, to an apologetic panic.

And his heart clenched as he heard Harley chuckle quietly, almost darkly.

"I know, Neville. It isn't anymore fair that it's you, and not me."

And a part of him, a part that he recognized as the savagely selfish… the very same part of him that had begged Dumbledore once to save Lily while thinking nothing of her family, was relieved that it had not been Harley after all. Even as Severus struggled to comprehend, what this dream was about.

He was dreaming, dreaming of a world where Neville Longbottom, difficult was that was to believe, was the Dark Lord's target.

That chubby, pathetic, completely untalented child- was who he was jealous of in his dream? Severus had wondered in disgust, even as he was inexplicably supplied him with an image he was not prepared for. Could never had imagined, even with his vast intelligence and creativity.

A boy, with Longbottom's underlying bone-structure, but who was quite tall and slender. A boy, capable of standing tall, even though his shoulders rounded slightly, as though with great burden. A boy, who's increasingly defined features as he approached adult-hood, while not wholly attractive, were underlined with determination, strength, and kindness.

This was not the Longbottom he knew… or could even imagine the fat little third-year growing into.

"But you don't have to do it alone- it's not your fight alone. It's our fight… all of us."

And here Severus had been both awed and envious, by Harley's loyalty, and that she seemed to bestow it on someone else.

"I… I don't want anything to happen to you, Harley," Longbottom spoke hesitantly. And once more, Severus felt his heart clench in both jealousy and dread.

"Well, you don't have to worry about me. I mean… I'm not the one that's prone to stupid acts of bravery. I'm a Slytherin, remember? Self-preservation at the cost of others is what we're famous for!" Harley had joked.

"That's not who you are, Harley," Longbottom had responded, his voice going soft and making Severus clench his fists. It was in that moment, in the dream, that had finally propelled him from his place around the corner. His stride only quickening when he noticed Longbottoms's hand, reaching for Harley's chin while he ducked his head low.

"Mr. Longbottom, Miss Potter!" he'd called out, causing the teens to spring apart as Severus had woken from his dream, heart thundering with both anger and jealousy at what he'd nearly witnessed. But it was just a dream, he told himself, even as that strange presence he'd thought he felt in his head supplied, that it was no dream.

The dream seemed to have picked up last night where it had left off. And Severus nearly cringed as he noticed what Harley was wearing.

That damnable jersey! It seemed to embody the worst thing to happen in his life… the death of a girl that he lived for, even as he cringed and told himself, that that was not his life. That that was not his experience. That he did not live for Harley!

"I suggest, you return to your tower, Mr. Longbottom-" the Severus in the dream had started slowly, speaking through clenched teeth while trying to control his flare of possessiveness which was completely inappropriate.

"But it's not curfew yet, sir," the tall, upright boy that was apparently Longbottom, spoke, looking Severus almost directly in his eyes with polite defiance.

From beside him, Harley was blushing profusely. Though, she did take the boy's forearm in her own, causing Longbottom to turn to her, and dream-Severus to further tense.

"You should get going to the Headmaster's, or you'll be late for your appointment," Harley spoke, offering the boy a smile.

Longbottom hesitated, staring at Harley with a frown before nodding his head and giving Snape a pointed look and barely polite goodbye, before marching away. Leaving Harley with a seething Snape.

"I'm not surprised that you were exceptionally rude to Neville, but I can't say I understand what you've got against him. What about him got your knickers in a twist?" Harley spoke drily, causing dream-Severus to turn to look at her. He was still struggling to contain the anger he felt.

"You were not exhibiting the behavior I expect, from a young lady in my House," dream-Severus gritted out.

Crossing her arms over her chest, Harley raised a brow in an uncomfortably accurate imitation of himself. "I wasn't like I was shagging him in the middle of the hall," she spoke irately, before flushing red. But ignoring her own sudden embarrassment, Harley straightened her shoulders and continued. "And not that it's any of your business, but Neville is my friend and even if we were more, it really wouldn't-"

"Oh, he wants to be much more!" Harley seemed discomfited by this angered declaration, frowning and looking down towards her feet. "Teenage boys never want to merely be friends with girls of their close acquaintance!"

"Boys and girls can be friends," Harley argued.

"Don't be so naive!" dream-Severus snarled in disgust, causing Harley to look up with her eyes wide. "Naivety is never an acceptable quality in a Slytherin!"

Taking a shuddering breath and running one of her hands through her unruly locks, Harley partially turned away from facing him and frowned.

"I don't know what to do… if Neville wanted more from me," Harley frowned, whispering in the dark and causing Severus' heart to clench as he realized that the prospect, was not wholly undesirable for Harley.

"You want-" he started to ask in confusion and dread.

And Harley looked at him then, pointedly. "He's all I could ask for. He's the best friend I've ever had, and I care for him. I should want him. And isn't it what you so want from me? For me to be with someone my age?!"

The dream-Severus straightened then, ignoring every instinct he had inside himself and forcing his fingers to unclench from the tight fists they had formed.

"Yes," he gritted out, even as a part of him wondered as the light in her eyes seemed to dim and she took a shuddering breath, if this was the moment that he'd crushed her hope. If this was the moment, that he'd killed Harley.

And Severus woke then as the Harley in his dream twirled around angrily and rushed away, wondering why his heart felt as if he were grieving Harley's loss. Why he felt guilt, as if that one moment, set off a series of events, that resulted in Harley's death… in the moment where he knew many hours later, Harley would sacrifice her life.

It's just a fucking dream! Severus snarled to himself, throwing off the sheets and covers and forcing himself from bed, wishing he could as easily throw away the turmoil of feelings that accompanied those blasted dreams- many of which, did not feel like his own.

X

"Are you all right?" Harley asked him as he sat opposite of the girl, who in spite of not being an early riser, had somehow managed to make it to breakfast before him.

A scowl was all the answer he gave the girl as he seated himself across from her and poured himself a particularly strong coffee, nearly willing the Potion for his headache to start working already.

"Right," Harley went on, he could nearly hear in her voice the way she rolled her eyes at him. "I wanted to ask your permission to take Harry to the Quidditch pitch to fly today."

"No," Severus responded automatically before taking a sip of coffee, not bothering to look up or even think about the request.

"What? Why not?" Harley asked, her voice rising with some indignation.

Severus didn't respond, wanting to feel vindictively satisfied in spite of his objections to her plans having some basis in legitimate concerns.

"Oh, come on! It's his birthday, he deserves to have some fun!" Harley nearly hissed in angry whispers, causing Severus to look up.

For a moment, he merely stared at the teenage girl opposite, frozen with the realization that it in fact was Potter's birthday and therefore, was also the girl's birthday.

She'll be eighteen today, a voice in his head said in wonder… as if both nostalgic and awed that her life was going on.

The rest of him was rather more concerned that he'd been so deeply entrenched in the strangeness of the last few days, to pay attention to the calendar.

"Be that as it may," he forced himself to sneer, even as that part that was awed that she was no longer a little girl squirmed at the thought of denying her anything- a wholly alien and disconcerting feeling as he had never known her as a little girl. "You would require the supervision of a fully qualified wizard. Hagrid will not suffice."

"Can't you do it?" Harley asked, nibbling on her lip and trying to appeal to him with an adorable expression that caused every muscle in his body to clench, his heart included.

"I have a meeting with the Headmaster," he scowled as Harley's expression suddenly became concerned.

"About what?"

Severus couldn't help raising a brow. "I'm not clairvoyant, how should I know?"

Harley rolled her eyes. "Well is there anyone else in the castle I could ask that would be an appropriate overseer?"

Severus grit his teeth as he told himself not to be such a bastard and let Harley have her fun. "I believe Professor Flitwick is presently in residence. As well as Professor McGonagall. Should either one agree, I don't see why you should not be able to-"

Before he could finished, Harley had grinned and was out of her seat. Severus eyes widened and he tensed as Harley suddenly rushed him and, to his utter incomprehension, wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tightly.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you," she whispered almost ad nauseum, her breath ghosting across his hair and causing his scalp to tingle while blood attempted to rush to his face.

He opened his mouth to tell her to get off him, but before he could, Harley had pulled away and was rushing away. "I'll be back, I'm going to track down Professor Flitwick!"

And then she was gone, leaving Severus with uncomfortable warmth, full to bursting from his chest, while the rest of his senses felt incredibly ruffled- telling himself it was at least fortunate that the Potter brat was apparently sleeping in. He wasn't quite sure what he would do, if Potter had witnessed such a mortifying display.

X

Albus sighed as he set aside yet another application, grateful for the interruption as Severus entered his office.

"No luck yet in your search for the Defense position?" Severus asked acerbically as he strode in after shutting the office door after himself.

Albus sighed wearily, "Perceptive as always, Severus," he said while carefully filing away the knowledge that, he was almost completely certain of who he wanted to fulfill the position- had in fact already gone to great lengths to track him down.

And every other applicant had thus far only solidified that the candidate he had in mind, was by far the most proper and adequate.

If only he could shed the guilt that came with such a choice.

But needs, must, Albus reminded himself as Severus also reminded him.

"You're running out of time."

"Indeed, but that is not why I have asked you here. There is in fact, a more pressing concern for this coming term. One that I will not be able to avoid," Albus responded, trying to keep his anger and exhaustion from his tone. "The Ministry is quite insistent, in spite of all my efforts. They have, in fact, gone over my head. I was only able to delay their arrival, but come this September, if Sirius Black is not apprehended, we will be forced to host several dozen Dementors."

TBC...

Talons and Tea Leaves -- Write about Professor Trelawney. Alternatively, write about Buckbeak.

DreamingMeows20- Thank you for taking the time to review! I'm glad you're loving this story. :)

GaleForceSinger- Thanks for the review, and yes, I'm still in fact alive. Just wanted to clarify though, that while Harley was going through her fifth year during CoS, that in her own world, she would have being going through her seventh year. Dumbledore purposefully pushed her back to her fifth year, in order to be able to keep her under his watch for longer.

Lordban- Severus-Prime! Lol. I'd only recently been able to get that reference (not a Star Trek nerd- yet). I guess Snape from Harley's world would really be considered Severus-Prime, what with him being an older version (at least because the fact that they are at different points of the timelines) and different circumstances. Yes, the whole split-conscience thing should be fun. Anyway, thanks for the review!

vampirela69- You make a lot of good points about Dumbledore. Though, if he didn't tell Harry because he wanted Harry to have more of a childhood, I could understand that. Although, it's kind of like… well he fought Quirrelmort, a Basilisk and Riddle, freed a prisoner, and did the whole tri-wizard thing and watched Voldemort be reborn… so a bit late to be trying to protect his "childhood". As for the Snapes merging… well I don't want to spoil anything, but I should caution you against getting your hopes up. Thank you as always for reviewing though! :)

mwinter1- Thank you for reviewing!

Selyne Nightshade- Thank you for the review, I'm glad you enjoy this story. Sorry this chapter took so long though!

Lil Miss Sunshine14- Thanks for the review! I'm not entirely sure how much the series of events for PA will deviate, but they probably will quite a bit as we get more and more into the year.

Oksanallex- Oh yeah, it's really gonna be a while before Harley and Snape get it together. But, they really do seem to belong together, don't they? In the meantime, I will so totally be sprinkling lots of love and longing and angst in the chapters until they do. Thanks for taking the time to review!

sunsethill- As always, I greatly enjoy hearing your reviews, and you're one of the many reasons that though I hit writer's block and might take a while to update, I always push myself to do it. I hope that you enjoyed the chapter, and as for Snape's merging… no, they definitely would be completely opposed for that to ever really happen, wouldn't they? Just don't get your hopes up for that being the outcome. X)

HermioneeBlack- I don't really believe in the merging of two characters, even if they're essentially the same person. What I have in mind… well you'll see. ;)

twinbuster2- Interaction between Remus and Harley should be coming up, but Remus is being so stubborn and refusing to make an appearance! XD The appearance of canon Sirius might be a while yet though, anyway thank you for reviwing! :)

WickedGreen13- Thanks for the review! Glad you enjoyed the Snape/Harley headbutt, I just couldn't resist putting them in an awkward situation. LOL. And yes, Snape's mind is definitely being messed with. Poor guy.

Beauty Eclipsed- Thanks for the review, glad you like the story so much! :)

Raven Blanchard- Again, thank you for taking the time to review. Sorry if you felt blind-sided by Sirius/Remus pairing, but I hope you continue to enjoy the story in spite of it. If it's any consolation, I plan that Sirius and Remus from canon, if they do or don't get together, that it will either not be focused on too much, or might be too difficult for them to. Especially after everything that's happen to them that's so different from how it all went down in Harley's world.

AJ Granger- I should hope that my story isn't quite like every other alternate Harry story. I never really care for the ease with which others seem to think that Gringotts would just hand over heirlooms or treasures to other people, even if they could possibly make such a claim. Besides, it could be such a tip-off about who Harley is, besides she doesn't want to take away from Harry. She doesn't feel it's right to take from him, when he has been given so little in life. As for her not looking into Sirius, there are reasons for that, not the least of which are that Sirius is a very painful topic for her, and she can't face up to it yet and that she's been concentrating on Harry, and now on Horcruxes, as well as dealing what's right in front of her. Also, there would be no transcripts regarding Sirius' arrest, seeing as he was never given a trial. As for writing to Remus, she really can't contact him because Remus would have no idea who she even is. He'd probably think she's an insane person.

Kyrie Lorelei- Thanks for the review, and yes… there will definitely be more Snape (the both of them). :)

Born 2bA Vampire- I'm glad you are enjoying the story, sorry it's taken so long to update. Thanks for the review! :)

CharlieBrowne- Thanks so much for the review! I'm glad the thought and effort put into this shows through and that people appreciate that! I wasn't so sure and sometimes I doubt whether or not I'm doing a good enough job. :)

Ventari S. F. - Thanks so much for the review! Glad you've enjoyed the story and especially liked the previous chapter! :)

MissMaria4- Thanks so much for the review! Glad you think this is one of the most original FemHarry/Snape stories around! That made my day! :)

As always, please review!