First Place - Angst

Severus snorted, "That hardly qualifies."

Minerva looked offended as she moved her rook and took one of his pawns, "I see Severus. I suppose you are the judge on precisely what qualifies as embarrassing?"

"Remus," Severus studied the board and spoke congenially, "would you say I have sufficient experience to judge exactly what embarrassment is?"

The werewolf's head snapped up and his cheeks colored just slightly, "I think Severus has a point Minerva. He is exceptionally well versed in embarrassment."

Severus moved a castle into place, setting the stage for a spectacular win. He hated to admit that he was using a strategy learned from Weasley.

"It is a relative thing," Minerva argued. "My most embarrassing moment might not have caused any of you to think twice but to me it was humiliating."

"You never flashed your oldest pair of knickers to the whole school," Severus mumbled as she took another pawn. Minerva played chess aggressively, a very Gryffindor style. Severus tended to favor feints and circling around to take her by surprise. It was usually a coin toss for which of them would win.

Minerva looked ashamed at the laugh that she couldn't stop. Filius snickered across from Remus, whether at Severus or Minerva Severus didn't know.

"When did you...?" Minerva looked at Severus with the kind of fascination that makes people flock to the sights of accidents and read the descriptions of Death Eater attacks in the Daily Prophet twice over thoroughly.

"Fifth year," Severus smirked as he shifted his queen just slightly. Minerva would see the opening to his king and not her own vulnerability. "Ask the werewolf."

"Severus!" Filius looked up in shock. The small Ravenclaw wizard wasn't aware that Remus actually liked that Severus was comfortable enough to refer to him as 'werewolf' as something other than an insult.

Remus just laughed, though, "To be fair Severus, it was James who cast the spells, and I seem to remember looking up a strong healing spell for that gash on his cheek you gave him. It left a scar, though it was very faint."

Filius looked back and forth between the two younger wizards and shook his head, "Where were we when all this happened Minerva?"

"Probably the same place we were when Harry decided to chase after Quirrell, and open the Chamber," Minerva answered with a frown. She didn't look over the Ravenclaw Head of House.

Remus smiled, "There was also the time he and Ron went into the Forbidden Forest to question the acromantulas and were saved from them by the enchanted Ford Anglia."

There were two crashes as Minerva and Filius snapped their heads towards Remus in shock. Filius tumbled off his stool and Minerva dropped the knight she was holding, who protested vehemently before reappearing at his previous position. Severus just laughed, both at his colleagues and his son.

"You knew about that?" Minerva asked, definitely ruffled.

"Harry told both of us last year," Severus moved his castle into place. "Check."

Minerva looked back to the board and frowned, now on the defensive, "I swear that boy will give me a coronary one of these days."

Severus shook his head, "You're not the only one. That's not even the worst he's done here. He's been moments from death at least fifteen times on the grounds of this school." He grinned at Minerva's move and swept in from the other side of the board with his queen, "Checkmate Minerva. I still haven't asked him how he knows what the Slytherin Common Room looks like."

Minerva scowled briefly at the board and knocked over her king, conceding defeat, then looked up at Severus with a much more pleasant expression, "Let me know about that one when you find out."

"Of course Minerva," Severus smirked at her, having won at both chess and coming out ahead in their conversation. Their friendship, he could actually acknowledge it as such now he thought somewhat bemusedly, was strongly based on witty exchanges and their friendly observance of the inter-house competition.

Severus left them there, having glanced at the other board and seeing that Remus would win... as he usually did. He patrolled the halls briefly, taking away at least fifty points from the other three houses for inappropriate displays. He remembered one of the nights he watched James do the same, and felt the smirk form that he used to replace a smile when he was in public. He didn't want to cause heart failure after all.

His wards alerted him to someone's presence in his quarters and Severus knew it could only be one of two people. Either Harry or Albus wanted to discuss something with him.

"Hey Dad," the voice that greeted him before he fully crossed the threshold let him know it was his son on the couch, facing away from him.

Severus crossed the room and saw Harry was absorbed in a book, "Homework?"

"Nope," Harry shook his head. "We've mostly gotten lectures on how hard we'll have to work for the N.E.W.T.s and then review work and outlines of what we'll learn in the year. There have been reading assignments but I've already read it all. I'm just waiting for the floodgates to open."

Severus tilted the book to look at the cover, Magic Unraveled: Theories on What Magic Is. It was marked as a library book, "How is it?"

"Not very good," Harry frowned. "Madame Pince recommended it but none of the writers really know what they're talking about. It's all theories. Does anyone actually know what magic is?"

"No Harry," Severus answered with a sigh. "All you will find is theories. My guess is that your ability to see magic is the closest anyone's gotten. Speaking of which, Albus wants to meet with you." Harry nodded, and looked deep in thought, like he was contemplating something. "Has your quidditch schedule been drawn up yet?"

Harry shook his head, "The captains are all meeting now and fighting over the slots. Hermione went along to act as mediator, or more likely rule enforcer. I wouldn't be surprised if she confiscated all their wands before letting them start."

"Let us know when the schedule is complete," Severus requested, sitting down in his customary chair. "We need to start up your extra lessons again."

"Minerva already claimed Tuesday nights," Harry smirked. "She said Ron can just work around it or I'll have to miss those practices."

Severus shook his head. Minerva was borderline obsessive about her quidditch team but even she recognized that Harry didn't need to attend practices for the team to win every game. The seeker was a fairly solitary player.

"Are you here because all your friends are occupied?" Severus asked cautiously. As much progress as they had made there was still something fragile about their relationship. It might be because Harry was essentially an adult and had never had a real parent to interact with. Both of them were working on instinct alone.

"Only partly," Harry admitted, putting the book down and looking at Severus with a gaze that Severus knew. Harry was sizing him up, trying to decide whether to discuss something. "Do you report everything to Albus?"

"I do not tell him everything we discuss," Severus said carefully. He knew that Harry's trust in the headmaster had been severely damaged in his fifth year. "If there is something crucial to the war or that I cannot handle myself I talk with him."

"If I told you something that has nothing... well, not nothing, but very little to do with me, and the person it concerns doesn't want anyone to know, would you tell him?" Harry asked, clearly choosing his words with caution.

"That is a loaded question Harry," Severus summoned a bottle of brandy and raised an eyebrow. Harry shook his head and Severus smiled to himself. It was good that Harry didn't jump at every chance to drink. He summoned a snifter and poured the brandy. "As a professor of this school if I discovered any student was a danger to themselves or others I have a duty to report it. Do you follow me?"

Harry nodded, "This doesn't fall under that category. What do you think of divination?"

Severus had to lower his snifter to avoid snorting into it, "The class taught here is a waste of time, except for the one or two students we find every hundred years or so who are actual seers. Seers are born, not taught."

"I agree," Harry smiled evilly. "I can't tell you how many times I predicted my own death just for a passing grade from Trelawney. She's obsessed."

"I have heard," Severus grumbled. "I am quite pleased you are no longer in her class."

"I didn't pass the O.W.L.," Harry shrugged. "The written was fine but the practical was a joke." Severus nodded and drank in some of the brandy fumes. A fine brandy could be entirely consumed in vapor form. "Can you occlude from yourself?"

"Excuse me?" Severus looked up at the change of subject, sensing that they were getting to the true purpose of the talk.

"If there were things in your mind you would rather not think of," Harry said vaguely, "could Occlumency help you?"

"Theoretically it could," Severus twirled the brandy, thinking on the question. It was an approach he had never considered, seeing his own negative memories as penance for his many crimes. "As you know the practice makes you better able to focus your mind. You found your concentration improved immensely once you successfully occluded you mind, correct?" Harry nodded. "I suppose you could create a wall around specific memories, around a portion of your mind. It would almost be like a self-directed memory charm."

Harry shuddered, "Bad subject." Severus nodded. Lockhart had nearly ruined Harry's mind. "Would you teach someone else Occlumency?"

"I need to know the situation Harry," Severus insisted in a voice approaching the one he used in the classroom, "especially if I am to keep this from Albus."

Harry looked away for a moment, studying the flames leaping in the fireplace, and sighed deeply. Then he outlined the predicament Ron Weasley found himself in. Severus was aghast that no one knew what the Gryffindor was going through. "I asked him if I could tell you, but I didn't mention Occlumency because I didn't know how he'd react. He heard every complaint I had fifth year about the lessons."

Severus was tempted to laugh but knew that would give Harry the wrong idea, "I am sure Albus knows everything." Harry looked intrigued. "They never would have let Weasley meet with just any Unspeakable. Whoever it was, he is a member of the Order and reported everything to the headmaster."

"Are you sure?" Harry frowned.

Severus smirked, "Of course I am. I brewed the potions they tried, though I didn't know who they were for at the time. That avenue has been thoroughly exhausted."

Severus looked up at the ceiling and wondered what god had cursed him. Not only were Gryffindors being drawn to him like flies to a corpse, but he was welcoming them with open arms. He looked down again, "I will discuss it with Weasley. I am not going to teach Occlumency to anyone who is not serious about the process. Allowing others to view my memories is not something I look forward to."

"I understand," Harry nodded. "When do you want to talk to him?"

"I will hold him behind after potions tomorrow," Severus decided. "No doubt there will be reason enough."

Harry laughed, "You don't have to hide the lessons you know. He can come here with me or even Floo in on his own. It's not like he's never seen your quarters."

"You are still much more a Gryffindor than a Slytherin," Severus smiled at his son. "It will be much more amusing to hold Weasley after class and have him imagine some sort of infraction."

Harry just shook his head, "So, what do you and the other professors do in the staff lounge anyway?"

"What do you and your friends do in your common room?" Severus countered.

"Mostly homework this year I'm guessing," Harry smiled. "We talk, play games, practice hexes and curses."

"Generally professors do not randomly hex each other," Severus gave Harry a mildly stern look and his son just widened his smile into a grin. "Every Wednesday night there are several of us who get together for a few games of chess. Otherwise we mostly talk about students, primarily you."

"Me?" Harry looked just a bit wary.

Severus put on a predatory smile, "Yes you, and I was reminded of a question you have neatly avoided for some time." Harry squirmed a bit in his seat on the couch and summoned a butterbeer to hide behind. "What were you doing in the Slytherin Common Room your second year talking to Draco Malfoy?"

Harry took a long drink of the butterbeer and grinned. It was very much a Marauder grin, "You once asked me if I ever stole any ingredients from your private stores."

"And?" Severus prompted with interest. He would consider punishment after he heard the answer.

"I never have, but I did sabotage a potion with a Filibuster Firework to distract you so Hermione could," Harry said smugly.

Severus remembered that day clearly and couldn't stop his jaw from dropping open, "You deliberately... Granger stole from my private stores? Our current Head Girl? What did she take?"

"Boomslang skin," Harry said casually, as if it was an ingredient used every day.

Severus just blinked, knowing that only very few potions used boomslang skin, "What did the three of you brew?"

"Polyjuice," Harry smirked and Severus nearly choked. Three twelve year olds brewed Polyjuice Potion? That wasn't even taught in Hogwarts, mostly because they didn't want students knowing how to brew it, but even then it was still N.E.W.T. level. "Ron and I were disguised as Crabbe and Goyle. They were sleeping in one of Filch's closets while we questioned Malfoy about Slytherin's heir."

Severus massaged his temples, "Could you tell me how you managed to brew Polyjuice in your second year. I may have been harsh with your grading but I was not that obtuse."

"It was mostly Hermione," Harry admitted with a short laugh. "We followed her directions sometimes but she did most of the work."

"And the Gillyweed for the Second Task?" Severus questioned.

There was nothing he could do about the Polyjuice now, other than give Granger extra credit which she didn't need. He didn't bother asking where they brewed it. There were several places in the school where they could have easily hid their brewing. The Weasley twins had even set up a full lab of their own. They told Severus where it was that summer so he could dismantle it and use whatever they left behind. He had gotten a nice bronze cauldron out of that.

"That was Dobby," Harry said with a much wider grin than before. His son had a strange friendship with that elf. "He overheard the fake Moody talking to McGonagall I think. I would have made a complete fool out of myself without it. I had no idea what to do."

"Truly?" Severus asked. Well, Harry had only been fourteen at the time, but Granger should have been able to help him.

Harry nodded, "I know that Hermione would have found something if I asked her earlier, but I wanted to solve it on my own." Harry shook his head, "Crouch was nearly at wits end trying to figure out how to help me without looking like he was helping me."

"Too much the noble Gryffindor?" Severus asked with a wry grin.

Harry nodded, laughing, "I don't feel guilty about that part anymore. All the contestants were getting help from somewhere, and I was three years younger than all of them."

"Albus never should have let you compete," Severus said with just a bit of anger at the headmaster. The excuse about a binding magical contract was just that... an excuse. It could have been voided somehow. Hell, Harry hadn't been old enough to be held legally responsible.

"Too much attention for my celebrity ego?" Harry tossed Severus's words from the past back at him. Severus couldn't tell the intent behind it though.

"You could have been killed," Severus corrected. "Without Crouch helping you from the shadows you almost certainly would have died in the first task."

"I think Dumbledore would have stepped in if it got too close," Harry said quietly. Severus saw the suddenly sad expression on his son's face and hoped Harry would explain it. "I hope he would have every year when I found myself risking my life, but I don't know.

"I just can't believe he didn't know three eleven year olds were going after the stone themselves. He gave me my father's cloak, told me how the Mirror of Erised works. Third year he told Hermione to use the time-turner to save Sirius." Harry was going from upset to angry. "He could have done it himself. He could have insisted that the Minister give Sirius Veritaserum. He still had some pull then. He could have kept me out of the Tournament. I was fourteen for Merlin's sake! What was he thinking, letting me do all that?"

Severus moved from his chair to the couch, "You will never know unless you ask him Harry. Are you still mad at him?"

"Of course I am!" Harry snapped. Severus could feel the tingle of magic building in the room. If it got out of control he would have to do something about it. "Why didn't he check on me? I lived with the Dursleys for ten years. Did he just drop me on their doorstep and then forget about me? Mrs. Figg is a few pawns and a castle short of a chess set and she was supposed to be looking out for me?"

Just as Severus was about to interrupt Harry stopped and closed his eyes tightly. Severus watched as his muscles visibly relaxed, as the tension bled out of his form, and the tingle in the air dissipated.

"You cannot hold onto this anger Harry," Severus placed a hand on Harry's shoulder. "The headmaster is not perfect and he has made many mistakes where you are concerned. The only way to help prevent further mistakes is to tell him how you feel. He truly is not aware of the extent of the mistreatment you suffered as a child."

"You haven't told him?" Harry whispered hopefully.

"No Harry," Severus said firmly. "He knows they were not the best of caretakers, and that I did not want you to return to their care, but he knows very few specifics."

Harry nodded and rested his head in his hands. When he looked up he was composed, "I should head back to the Tower. 'Mione will be furious if I'm late." Harry stopped at the entrance to the room and turned back, "Thank you Dad."

"Anytime," Severus smiled and noticed the book. He floated it to Harry.

Harry looked at the book in disgust, "Never read this. It's not worth the parchment it's written on."

Severus just smirked as Harry left the room. He poured himself some more brandy and wondered why all their conversations ended up touching on such emotional subjects. In the end he chided himself, it happened because Harry had that many emotional issues to work through and very few people to trust them with.

His seventh year potions class the next afternoon would be very interesting.

Finding the Key - Chapter 18

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