Title: Walking In His Shoes
Author: Many wonderful writers from the HPRoundRobin@Livejournal, each chapter may be someone different from the one before
Rated: R for upcoming situations
Summary: Taran's Challenge: Albus decides that Sev and Harry should spend a week in each other's shoes in order to better understand each other. They must spend a minimum of one week in each other's bodies, but before they can switch back, they must perform an act of selfless love. Also, they can't tell anyone and they have to completely fill each other's roles in the school.
Pairing: SS/HP
Spoilers: None that i know of
Disclaimer: Not mine. No money made. These characters belong to JK Rowling
Feedback: Always welcome

Walking In His Shoes
Chapter 1
by sev1970

"Get out, Potter…I will not tell you again. GET OUT!!!"

Severus placed locking charms on his office door and poured himself a glass of Firewhiskey. How dare Albus…after all I have done for him. What can he possibly gain from this inane idea of his? And with Potter no less. Out of the entire damnable and infuriating student body that I have the displeasure of teaching, he has to be the single most self serving, egotistical brat I have ever laid eyes on. And Albus wants the two of us to what? Oh…Hell No! Perhaps I should end this folly right now and turn myself in to the Dark Lord. I am almost positive that it would be the lesser of two evils.

The Death-Eater turned spy was seething. He knew he owed Albus, and had always told himself he would do whatever was asked of him by the older man, but this…this was by far the single most ludicrous idea Severus had ever heard of. He could feel a headache coming on, but because of Albus' incessant meddling, he could take nothing to alleviate the throbbing pains that were increasing. Severus leaned back in his chair and dejectedly recalled the most grievous and disturbing conversation of earlier that he had the misfortune of being a part of, along with Albus…and Potter.

"…as I was saying, Severus, you are being unfair to Harry. You do not think he was chosen because of who his is, do you?"

"Do be sensible, Albus, of course the boy was chosen because of who he is. It certainly is not because of his brains." The Potions Master sneered as he glared at Harry. He was sick and tired of the boy-who-lived getting the adulation that he himself so rightly deserved; he was the one risking his life to rid the world of Voldemort, not bloody Harry Potter.

"Enough, Severus. Harry was asked to speak at the DADA conference this summer because of his experiences, and because he has excelled in DADA. You know very well what an honor it is to be asked to speak at the annual conference. I had hoped just maybe for once, you could actually congratulate Mister Potter, but, I should have known that would be asking too much."

"Sir, sorry to interrupt, but I do not need any congratulations or well wishes from him. Let him think what he wants to about me and why it was me and not him that was asked, he will anyway, seeing how he knows me so well…" Harry's green eyes flashed furiously toward his hated Potions professor.

Albus had sat back in his chair smiling at the two sitting across from him. Harry and Severus stared at him with incredulous looks on their faces, waiting for the proverbial other shoe to drop. They knew something was going to happen…it always did.

Albus cleared his throat and stood up walking around his desk. Reaching up, he pulled two vials down from the bookshelf. Lips formed into a smile and eyes twinkling knowingly, Albus placed the two vials in front of the two, obviously angry wizards. They each looked up at the headmaster questioningly.

"My dear boys, I have done everything in my power to try and make the two of you understand each other better, to realize that all is not as it appears. Severus…you know good and well that Harry is not the insolent child you purport him to be." Harry smiled a garish grin to his snarky professor. "And Harry, you must realize that Severus has to maintain this façade and does not truly hate you. He risks his life for all of us almost on a daily basis. I think he deserves some respect from you." Severus smirked at the younger wizard.

"The two of you leave me no choice. I cannot have my two most important people in this fight against Voldemort, hating each other, which the two of you most certainly do. I have devised a plan to force each of you to realize just how it would feel to be the other, to walk in his shoes…"

Severus had been given no choice in the matter, after an hour of ranting and spouting off every curse word he could think of, Severus, with a murderous look on his face, had consumed the contents of the vial; Harry had taken his at the same time. It would take twelve hours to take effect…in twelve hours, Severus would be Harry, and Harry would be Severus.

Albus had explained to them that their minds would still be their own, but everything else would be the other person. The potion lasted seven days, but as always, there was a condition. As if a week were not punishment enough for both men, Albus had more to say.

"This is not a lesson to be taken lightly. The two of you will completely immerse yourselves in the others daily life at Hogwarts, and before either of you will be able to return to your own body, I must see that you have understood my purpose in doing this."

Both Potter and he had looked quizzically at the Headmaster, but only received a smile before being told they would understand when the time was right.

********

Harry made his way up to Gryffindor Tower after being kicked out of his most snarly potion professor's office, where the two had decided what time they would meet the following morning. Harry would be returning to the dungeons in a few hours; it would not do for the Gryffindor to wake up in his Potion professor's body while in his own bed, therefore it had been decided both men would meet in the professor's office a few minutes before the potion would take effect.

Gah…I have to be the greasy git for seven whole days; I think I'd rather meet Voldemort again, instead. And he is going to be me? Oh Merlin…I'll be ruined, and won't have a friend left after this week. And how am I supposed to teach bloody Potion's?

Harry's thoughts were interrupted when Ron walked into the room.

"Hey mate, Professor McGonagall asked me to give this to you." Harry took the parchment and looked at it oddly; it appeared to be a muggle letter, but who would be sending him one? He checked it for charms and then opened it and his eyes widened at what he read:

Freak – we will not be here this summer, so do not expect anyone to pick you up; you are on your own. And do not even think about trying to break in the house you stupid good for nothing boy. If you do, I will personally hand deliver you to that What's-His-Name who is after you. And do not think I won't. It is good to know that I am not the only one who can make you writhe in pain.

Harry's breathing increased and he had to force himself to calm down. Now what was he going to do? No matter how much Harry had begged the headmaster to allow him to stay at Order Headquarters, the older man always said no, that the only safe place for him during the summer was his relative's house. He still had two months of school left until he would have to leave, but he would have to find somewhere to go.

When Harry finally laid down to try and get a few hours of sleep, he tossed and turned, his Potions professor and uncle, pervading his thoughts.

It seemed as though he had only been sleeping for a few minutes when his wizarding alarm sounded. Hurriedly, Harry showered, got dresssd and made his way to what would surely be his doom. He walked down to the dungeons and glared at both the headmaster and potions professor as he took the seat beside Severus.

"Ah…very good, you are both early; the potion should begin to take affect momentarily." The headmasters eyes were again twinkling, a fact which both younger wizards wished they could change.

Suddenly both felt a pain searing through their heads and immediately they lost consciousness.

Albus smiled down at the two bodies lying on the floor, two sets of eyes which slowly opened and slowly focused on him, staring at him. "The two of you will respect each other, either before this week is over, or longer if that is what it takes, and that will be proven…yes, it will be proven beyond a shadow of a doubt."

~tbc~