Chapter 2

Harry made his way back to the Gryffindor common room, his mood not the least bit improved despite his little "chat" with Snape. Oh, sure, it had made him think, but it certainly hadn�t changed his mind. He wanted all of this to end, and damn it, nothing would stand in his way. Besides, no one really needed him anymore. If anything, he�d be doing everyone a favor by getting out of their lives forever. Less bad luck to worry about.

Finding himself in front of the Fat Lady, he muttered the password and shuffled into the common room. Almost everyone was still up, and Harry had to wonder just how early it was.

"Hey, mate! You�re back early!" Ron called to him from his chess game against Dean, just as his queen whacked one of Dean�s knights. It was nice to see that Ron was feeling better. He�d lost it after Ginny died, and it had taken them a week just to coax him out of the dorm.

"Yeah, I guess," Harry replied indifferently.

Ron frowned. "What�s wrong? You almost sound like you�re disappointed that he let you go so early!"

"Don�t be absurd," Harry replied.

"Well, I�d certainly hope that�s not the case. I don�t know how I would explain to Mum that we had to send you to St. Mungo�s�" Ron grinned. Harry forced a smile in return.

"Say, Ron? I have a bit of a headache, so I think I�ll go up to bed a bit early, okay?" Harry lied.

"Sure, mate. �Mione did the same thing. I thought she�d got a brain cramp from all her studying, but maybe something�s going around�" He shrugged.

"Thanks, Ron. G�night," Harry said, then hurried up the stairs and shut himself in the 7th year boys� dorm. Ron sighed before returning his attention to the game, just as one of Dean�s castles took revenge on his queen. "Ah, bugger�"

Severus Snape sat in his office, silently pondering Harry Potter�s most recent detention. He could, of course, understand the boy�s motive � he�d been there himself more times than he cared to admit. What he didn�t understand was Potter�s reaction to his interjection. He knew the boy would be desperate, but to act the way he did�it was as though the boy just didn�t care at all. That worried him. It implied that Potter�s attempt wasn�t just a "cry for help" as so many other cases were. No, Potter�s behavior led him to believe that the boy genuinely wanted to die. �Well, we certainly can�t have that, can we, Severus?� he thought to himself as he left the dungeons and hurried off for the Gryffindor common room.

Harry smirked mirthlessly. He�d have to remember to thank Sirius for the pocketknife after he reached the afterlife. He briefly wondered how he�d do that before shrugging and returning to the task at hand. He�d already decided that slitting his wrist just wasn�t enough, and hoped that the knife would be long enough to reach and pierce his heart. Slowly, he picked up the knife and aimed it at the center of his chest�

"Where�s Potter?" Snape demanded, bursting into Gryffindor tower and scaring not a few of its occupants. A terrified Ron simply pointed a shaking finger to the stairs, unable to speak in his complete state of shock. Snape�s black eyes narrowed as he dashed up the stairs, taking them two at a time before forcing himself into the dormitory.

Silence followed for a brief moment before Dean turned to Ron. "Oi, Ron? Should we maybe go and make sure Snape doesn�t off Harry?"

Ron looked at Dean and gulped. Where was McGonagall when you actually needed her?

"Yeah, I guess�" Neither made a move to get up.

Harry was just about to plunge his knife into his chest when someone yelled, "Expelliarmus!" and the knife flew out of his hand. Cursing, he turned to see who the hell had interrupted him, and was more than a little surprised to see the Potions master standing less than three meters away, wand in hand. Surprise quickly turned to rage, however, as Harry jumped off his bed and approached Snape threateningly.

"Damn it, would you stop interfering?! You stupid old sod, can�t you just leave me alone?!" Harry yelled, enraged. Snape just glared at him.

Dean and Ron turned to look at each other. They were pretty sure they�d heard Harry yelling at Snape. That couldn�t be a good thing. Taking a deep breath, Ron nodded to Dean and the two ascended the stairs.

"You foolish, immature little�What in Merlin�s name did you think you were doing?!" Snape finally exploded once Harry was standing right in front of him. "It�s a damned good thing I�d decided to come retrieve you or else�Merlin! I don�t even want to think about what�"

"Hey! Leave Harry alone!" Ron cried, bursting in with Dean close behind. He immediately regretted this as Snape turned his icy glare on them. It really was amazing how intimidating he could still be after seven years.

"Twenty points each from Gryffindor, Mr. Weasley and Mr. Thomas!" Snape snapped at them. "No go be of some use and fet your Head of House and the headmaster immediately!" Ron and Dean hesitated, unsure if it was okay to leave Harry alone with the livid professor. "GO!" Snape barked, and Dean and Ron fled the room. Snape slammed the door shut before turning back to Harry, who seemed completely unaffected by the man�s state.

"You didn�t have to yell at them, you know," Harry remarked cheekily.

"Silence, Potter! Perhaps I didn�t make myself clear enough earlier when I said that you were not to try this again. Well, I can assure you�"

"Actually, this time was different. I wasn�t slitting my wrists this time. Not that it�s any of your business anyway, professor."

"It is my business!" Snape stepped toward Harry and placed his hands on Harry�s shoulders, noting that despite being fully grown, the young man still stood a good ten centimeters or so shorter than him. Speaking in a softer tone of voice, he continued. "It is my business, Pot�Harry."

Harry was taken aback. Here was that mythical "nice Snape" again, and now he was even calling him by his first name. Harry raised an eyebrow.

"Why is it your business, professor?" he asked quietly, emerald eyes boring into ebony ones, challenging them.

With a deep sigh, Severus replied, "Because I care, you little fool. I care."

Were it any other situation, Harry would probably have died of shock. As it was, however, he remained skeptical. "You�re full of it."

Keeping his anger in check, Severus continued. "No, I am not. I mean what I say, Pot�Harry." He still wasn�t used to using the young man�s first name. "I really do care."

Harry was shocked to say the least. This was the last thing he expected to hear, especially coming from his greasy old potions professor, who really wasn�t that old or greasy, now that he thought about it. �Cripes! What am I thinking?!�

A period of silence passed between them as each man sized up the other. Neither really knew what to say anymore. So, it was almost a welcome relief when a very flustered McGonagall swept into the room followed by a slightly confused Dumbledore.