Harry grabbed his knife in his pocket with his good hand and held it ready as the three men in Snape's office turned to look at him. He ignored Lupin and the black haired man and focused on Snape. Snape who had the black-haired man at wand point and looked ready to kill him any moment.
"What's going on?" Harry asked Snape. He tried thinking as hard as he could, 'If you get to kill this guy then I get to kill Lupin'. He couldn't tell if Snape was picking up on his thought or not, but judging from the smirk on his face he thought he might have.
"Harry!" The black haired man turned away from Snape and smiled at Harry. It took Harry a moment to figure out why the man looked so familiar and once he did he felt blazing hot anger rising up through his whole body.
"You!"
Sirius Black. Just standing right in front of him. Like a Boxing Day nightmare for Harry.
Or... or like a gift. Practically wrapped and presented right in his face.
Harry waved his hand and threw Black as hard as possible in to Snape's bookshelf.
Don't let him move, he ordered his magic with a sharp tug on it.
"Harry, wait, please listen, it's not what you think," Black was babbling as he pointlessly tried to move off the floor where Harry threw him. Harry ignored him and stepped closer, pulling Black's own knife out of his robe pocket.
It would be more karmic, as Snape often said, if he used Black's own knife to kill him. Since the man had planned on killing Harry with it after all.
"Severus, are you going to stop him?" Lupin cried.
"Black wished to speak with Potter, this is his chance."
"What?" Harry paused and looked at Black then Snape. "Why's he in your office? Why'd he wanna talk to me?"
Snape held his hands up and gestured towards Black.
"Feel free to kill him if you'd like, I certainly won't stop you," Snape sneered a look of pure loathing towards Black. "But you may want to hear him out first, at least you will end his life for the correct reasons."
"What reasons?" Harry demanded. "What more reasons are there?" He turned back to Black, "What other reasons could you have? It's your fault my parents are dead. Your fault I lived in Surrey. All of the dementors- YOUR FAULT!"
"I know, God Harry, I know," Black said, his voice hoarse but genuine. "I'm sorry- I'm so sorry. But it's not what you think!"
"Shut up," Harry ordered with another pull of his magic. He turned to Snape who was leaning against the wall next to Lupin. Lupin looked like he was going to have a panic attack or something any moment, his eyes were bulging and he was wringing his hands together.
Snape looked bored.
"What's he talking about?" Harry asked Snape. "What's going on?"
"Maybe you should let Sirius-"
"I wasn't fuckin' talking to you," Harry snarled at Lupin.
"Language," Snape murmured with a pleased smirk in the corner of his mouth.
"Snape what's going on?" Harry asked again.
"Your godfather," Snape grimaced as he said that, "has been cleared of all charges this morning."
"What?!" Harry yelped. "But- how? Why?" Harry glanced behind himself to Black, who was still frozen in place and mouthing something silently over and over. He looked back to Snape. "Why would they do that?!"
He thought the damn Minister was his friend.
"Harry, why don't you-"
"Can you get rid of him?!" Harry yelled to Snape, gesturing at Lupin. "Because I'm going to hurt him if not."
He could feel that desperate feeling rising in him and his magic was swirling around, ready to do what he wanted with the slightest notice. If Lupin didn't leave, as in right now, Harry was going to hurt him.
He wasn't against it, he still owed Lupin for the boggart, but he did need to get some answers. It wouldn't do him any good if Lupin killed him before he killed Black.
He had magic on his side, but Lupin had crazy wolf strength. Harry wasn't a fan of even odds.
"Gladly," Snape said. He flicked his wand and Harry watched with satisfaction as Lupin was shoved outside the classroom with the door slammed firmly in his face.
"Why did they let Black go?" Harry immediately asked Snape.
Snape wouldn't lie to him. Snape didn't even like Black, hated him as much as Harry did in fact. Surely he'd be upset about it too.
"Your parents switched Secret-Keepers," Snape said calmly, politely ignoring the crazy wind that Harry's magic was causing to fill the room. "They used Pettigrew instead of Black. Pettigrew was the one who betrayed them and turned them in to the Dark Lord. Then he was the one who killed the Muggles and faked his death when Black confronted him."
Harry stared at Snape as the magic around him settled at his feet.
"And you believe that?" he said incredulously. It sounded less believable than the lies Harry used to tell at Primary to cover his bruises.
'I fell' caused a black eye.
'They switched secret keepers' cleared Blacks name.
Ridiculous.
"I would not, had I not heard it with my own ears while Pettigrew was under the influence of Veritaserum."
"You- Pettigrew was here? Where is he now?" Harry asked quickly.
If it was true then Pettigrew was the reason Harry didn't get to live with his parents, and Black was the one who left him to the Dursley's.
Twenty minutes ago the only person he'd been planning on killing today was himself, but it seemed like he could turn this whole day around really. Take one name off his list and take someone off the list he didn't know needed to even be there.
A miracle really.
"I believe he is on his way to Azkaban," Snape said.
Harry stared hard at him, his brows furrowed.
"You let them take him? Why would you do that?"
"Letting them arrest Pettigrew was the only way to get Black's name cleared so I could get rid of the dementors." Snape gave him a sympathetic sort of look. "If it were not for the dementors, I gladly would have assisted you in dispatching of the rat."
"The dementors are gone? You got rid of them? Really?" Harry breathed, excitement filling him for the first time in months.
He hated the dementors. Hated them more than he hated Black. More than he hated Dumbledore even. Getting rid of the dementors was worth delaying Pettigrew's death.
The dementors made him weak and worthless and pathetic.
And Snape got rid of them.
Snape gave him a small smile and a nod.
"They are gone."
Harry felt relief crashing over him so hard that if it weren't for Black still being in the room he probably would have cheered.
"Brill," he grinned at Snape. "You're a genius."
"I am aware," Snape said it in a bored voice but Harry could tell he was pleased with himself. He grimaced as he looked again towards Black. "I believe at some point you will have to do something with that, he does not add much to my decor."
Harry glanced behind him to Black and saw that he was still in the same spot on the floor, though he clearly gave up on trying to talk and was now just glaring at Snape.
"Don't fuckin' look at him like that," Harry snapped. He turned back to Snape and saw that he was practically smirking now towards Black. "How'd you find him anyway?" he asked.
Snape gestured towards Harry's usual chair in front of his desk.
"If you would like, we could have coffee while I tell you the incredibly anticlimactic story," Snape offered casually, as if there wasn't a man awaiting an execution stuck to the floorboards of his classroom.
Harry hesitated as he turned and looked at Black again.
Find out what happened first, then kill Black, he decided.
"'Kay."
Harry turned his chair just enough where he could see both Snape and Black. He gave a careful pull on his magic and felt like it was in place enough to hold Black for a while longer.
Snape called for Mavis and ordered them both a cup of coffee with milk and sugar. Harry's right hand shook a little as he grabbed his mug, but if Snape noticed he didn't comment.
"I received an annoying letter this morning," Snape said after they both drank their coffee for a moment. "It said: 'find Weasley's rat.'"
Harry listened carefully as Snape explained how he got a letter from Black. How he went and got Scabbers from their dorm. Demanded answers from Lupin. How he called for Madame Bones and Mister Malfoy and they talked to Pettigrew. Then Snape saw a chance to get rid of the dementors and took it.
"And I believe aside from a few finer points, which I will gladly let Black explain himself on, that brings us up to when you entered and interrupted Black demanding he see you."
"That-" Harry didn't even know what to say. "That sounds like bullshit."
Scabbers the annoying little rat was an animagus. Smart enough to fake his death and pin the Muggle murders on Black but too stupid to use magic to change his appearance and hide out in another country?
If anyone aside from Snape had told him this story, he never would have believed them. Ever.
"I agree," Snape said. "Yet, it is apparently the truth."
Harry glanced over to Black who was nodding emphatically.
"So if he didn't betray my parents... Then how come he let Hagrid take me that night? If he was innocent, and my godfather, why didn't he take me with him?"
"An excellent question," Snape said. "One I suggest you ask him."
Harry tried to look at Black as hatefully as Snape had.
"If you even twitch in my direction I'm going to kill you," he said flatly as he pointed Black's own knife in his direction. "Got it?"
He was going to kill him anyway. But he wanted answers first. Like Snape said, better to kill him for the right reasons.
Black mouthed something indecipherable that seemed like an agreement as Harry pulled his magic back in.
"You're strong," Black chuckled weakly once he was freed.
"I know," Harry cut him off. He didn't need Black to praise his magic. He needed him to answer some questions. "Why'd you let Hagrid take me?"
Black got to his feet slowly and kept a wary look on the knife Harry had clutched in his left hand. Apparently he wasn't as stupid as Harry thought he was.
Which didn't say much, because Harry thought he was an absolute idiot.
"I went there that night," Black said hesitantly. "I tried to get you, but-"
"But Hagrid said Dumbledore wanted me to go to my Aunt," Harry cut in again. "Yeah, I heard the story. Why'd you let him?"
Black looked between Harry and Snape, frowning as if he didn't understand the simple question.
"Thirty seconds," Harry drawled. "Then I'm going to kill you."
Black glanced towards the door quickly, but not quick enough for Harry to not notice.
"Nope," he said. "Lock." He smiled sharply at Black who now looked nervous, "Sorry about that, but I need answers."
"Harry, I- I'm sorry," Black stammered while Snape chuckled under his breath. "I should have fought for you."
"Why didn't you?" Harry asked again. "Twenty seconds Black," he added when Black just hesitated.
"I couldn't go against Dumbledore!" Black cried, his grey eyes wide. "What was I supposed to do? Hide you away from him for the rest of your life?"
Harry got to his feet and took a couple steps closer to Black. He was happy to see the man stepped away from him.
"Yes," he said sharply. "You were my godfather. That's exactly what you should have done."
"I couldn't fight against Dumbledore's orders!" Black said. "Nobody would have! You don't under-"
"Snape would have," Harry said confidently. "Snape wouldn't have let Dumbledore take me to my Aunt's if he'd been my godfather, would he?"
"Snape was a fucking Death Eater," Black spat. "Your parents wouldn't have made him godfather if he had been the last choice on Earth."
"Don't talk about him like that," Harry said lightly as he sent a neat spell Blaise showed him towards Black's wrist. The sharp howl of pain accompanied by the audible snapping of the bone made Harry smile.
He'd have to thank Blaise again for showing him that one.
"You might have missed it when you were destroying our stuff, but I've got a wicked sword up in my trunk," Harry smiled his most threatening smile, the one that made the older Slytherins leave him alone immediately. "I can have it here faster than you can say 'Death Eater' again."
Black seemed surprised, which was rather dim of him considering Harry had told him Halloween night that he was going to kill him. Did he think that the fact he was only guilty of one deed, instead of two, meant Harry forgave him?
"You picked revenge over me, didn't you?" he asked coolly.
"No- Harry, no. I swear, I tried to get you first."
"But you didn't." Harry took another step closer. "You left me alone. I was a baby. I was alone."
"I'm sorry," Black wailed. And he did truly look sorry.
It just didn't matter.
"If I had known what it was going to be like for you- I never would have let Hagrid take you pup. I swear."
Harry paused and sifted through that statement.
The Daily Prophet or Snape?
He shot a dark look behind him towards Snape, who shook his head as he got to his own feet.
Not Snape.
"What do you know about my life?" Harry asked slowly. "You don't know a single thing about me."
"Well..." Black hesitated and looked pleadingly at Snape.
"Your funeral, mutt," Snape sneered from behind Harry.
"What do you mean 'if you knew what it was like'?" Harry repeated when Black quit talking. "WHAT THE FUCK DOES THAT MEAN?"
"Breathe," Snape murmured as Harry's magic was starting to go haywire again.
"I don't want to fuckin breathe," Harry muttered even as he took a few deep breaths to calm himself.
It wouldn't help any if he accidentally killed Snape because Black was an idiot.
He steadied himself and then looked evenly at Black.
"What'd you mean?"
"Don't- don't freak out, okay?" Black said. Harry felt Snape shift behind him and knew that whatever Black was about to say- Harry very desperately did not want to hear it.
"I- I'm an animagus," Black said. "And... and we met."
Harry watched as Black suddenly shifted into...
Grim.
Grim who he fed.
Who was his friend.
Who he told almost all his secrets to.
Harry froze. Shocked to his core. He told him... everything. Every weak pathetic thought he had. Talked about the memories the dementors brought up. And about his boggart.
Talked about being broken.
Talked about the Dursley's. About the youth shelters. About... about last winter. And... about everything was planning.
"You..." Harry was so shocked he could barely talk. "You stupid- YOU STUPID FUCKING DOG!"
Harry lunged towards Grim who transformed back to Black and darted quickly towards the doorway.
"Harry I didn't mean to- I'm sorry-"
"I'm going to kill you!" Harry screamed. He threw the knife in his hand at Black's chest and cursed when it hit his arm instead. His aim wasn't as good left handed.
"Snape!" Black yelled, ducking from Harry's quickly fired curse. "Are you going to help?!"
Harry couldn't hear Snape's response as he focused on making Black hurt but he didn't think it sounded like he was going to step in.
"Harry I'm- arghhh!"
Harry smiled as Black his his knees and screamed.
"Must be soundproof," Harry mused out loud, his voice as cold as he felt in the moment. "Thought maybe Lupin would try and come back in."
"I soundproofed it the moment Black transformed," Snape said just as casually as he had been so far. "I would hate for your reunion with your godfather to be disrupted."
Harry ended the spell on Black as he gave Snape a considering look.
"Did you know?"
Snape understood him at once, as Harry suspected only Snape could.
"I did not, not until this morning."
Harry nodded as he turned back to Black. If Snape said he didn't know, then he didn't know.
Black held a hand up towards Harry, his voice was raspy when he spoke.
"I deserved that- I did. But Harry listen- I know you didn't mean to tell me those things but now that I know I can help you- okay?"
"Help me?" Harry looked incredulously at him. "What help could I possibly need from you?"
He squeezed his right hand in a fist as he stared down at Black. He didn't know if it was the lack of dementors or the fact that he finally had someone to take all his cold anger out on, but he felt clearer than he had in weeks. Months even probably.
He didn't need help. Certainly not from Black.
"What you said, last night, it- it doesn't have to be like that Harry," Black said as he struggled to stand back up. "You're young, you've got so much to live for-"
"Shut up," Harry warned him, his face heating as he realized Snape could hear every thing Black was saying. "Shut your mouth."
"Can we just talk, please?" Black said. Harry ignored how his hopeful grey eyes looked just like Grim's. "I care so much about y-"
"Shut up," Harry said. He backed away a few steps before Black could say anything else. "Go away."
"Harry, I-"
"GO AWAY!" Harry screamed. "SHUT YOUR MOUTH AND GO AWAY!"
Harry sent a quick jab of his magic towards the door to open it for Black. He needed him to leave, now.
Black looked over Harry's shoulder, presumably to where Snape was standing.
"Snape-"
"Go Black," Snape said coldly. "He does not want to talk. I would leave while you are able."
Black edged towards the door, staring mournfully at Harry as he went.
"I'm sorry Harry. I'll be here when you're ready to talk," he said. "I love you pup."
Harry cut his leg with a quick flick of his magic as he went out the door.
"C-can you lock the door?" he said, panting from the anger he could feel swirling in his chest. "Make it so he can't come back in?"
"Gladly."
Harry waited a moment while he watched Snape lock and ward the door before he collapsed to the floor. He didn't think he even had the energy to kill Black right now. He felt shaky and exposed in a way he wasn't used to feeling.
"He tricked me," he said quietly. "He fuckin tricked me. Made me think he was just a dog."
"He did," Snape agreed solemnly as he sat cross legged across from Harry.
"I said... I said a lot of things," Harry admitted. "I didn't know it was him."
"I know," Snape said. "May I see your hand?"
Snape's sudden change in topic threw Harry off. He scooted backwards until he felt the desk against his back.
"No."
"You are injured Harry. Give me your hand."
Harry purposefully flexed his left hand. "It's fine," he said.
"Your right hand, if you please."
"Did he tell you I was hurt? Because he's a liar," Harry said.
He hated that stupid dog. Hated Black for knowing all these things about him. Hated him for seeing him last night... seeing him weak and... oh God, he'd cried on that git.
Harry cursed himself for not obliviating him when he had the chance.
Stupid.
"I saw it was injured last night," Snape said, pulling Harry back to the conversation he'd rather not have. "I would like you to remove the glamor and either heal it yourself or allow me to do so."
Harry stared at Snape's calm dark eyes as he lifted his right hand. Black already knew. Why should Black know and not Snape?
Snape wouldn't laugh. Wouldn't mock him or call him weak.
Stop hiding, he ordered his hand. The glamor disappeared easily as Harry felt the magic drawing itself back inside him.
He didn't bother looking at his hand in favor of watching Snape. He knew what it looked like. His fingers were bruised and swollen, the knuckles scraped, cracked, and bloody. He thought he'd probably torn up a nerve in one of his fingers, it hadn't felt right all day. But he'd thrived on that pain, savored it. It kept him feeling sharp as he'd planned on how to tell Snape about Theo's Dad.
"I'm going to summon murtlap essence unless you would rather heal it yourself," Snape said quietly.
"I-I don't think I can right now," Harry admitted. "My magic is tired. Or else I would have just killed him."
Snape hummed as he summoned the murtlap essence and beckoned Harry to move closer to him.
"It would be foolish to kill him at Hogwarts," he said as Harry slowly inched closer. "It would be a shame to be rid of the dementors only to be sent directly to Azkaban."
"I wouldn't go to Azkaban," Harry said as he offered Snape his hand.
"Oh?" Snape dapped some of the essence on Harry's knuckles and Harry hissed between his teeth as they burned before the skin starting knitting itself back together. "Did you have a grand escape plan? Perhaps transform in to a rat and move in with Ronald?"
Harry snorted lightly at Snape's sarcastic tone.
"I'd hide at our house and make you secret-keeper," he said confidently. "Nobody'd find me then, would they?"
"They would not," Snape agreed. "Deep breath now as I heal the breaks."
Harry watched curiously as Snape tapped his hand twice and the bones snapped and reset themselves back in the correct position. He flexed his hand and was both relieved and disappointed to see that it was good as new.
"Thanks," he said begrudgingly.
"You can thank me by not doing it again," Snape said as he disappeared the supplies. "I am sure that there are many more deserving subjects for your anger than yourself."
Harry shrugged uncomfortably.
"What all did Black tell you?" he asked cautiously. "Before I got here?"
He'd told Grim a lot of things. Snape knew most of them. But there were some things he didn't...
"He told me you intended to end your life today," Snape said.
I will kill him, Harry swore to himself. Some way, some how. I will kill him.
"And you know he's lying right?" Harry asked, a desperate edge creeping in his tone. "He's a liar Snape. He can't be trusted."
"I am inclined to believe him in this instance," Snape said slowly. "I believe the dementors have had a terribly adverse effect on your mental health and I believe that your self-abuse was a sign I should not have overlooked."
"I am not 'self-abusing'," Harry scoffed weakly. "I got mad and I hit a tree and I'm fine now."
Snape made a noise of disbelief.
"If I searched your dorm right now I would not find a letter addressed to be read after you death?" Snape guessed with an accuracy so sharp Harry felt like he couldn't breathe for a moment.
"N-no," Harry lied. "I dunno why you'd think that."
"I'm sorry," Snape apologized before flicking his wand again. Harry was confused for a moment, unsure what was supposed to have happened before a parchment flew beneath the door straight to Snape's hand.
"Dear Luna," he read aloud with a small frown aimed at the parchment as his eyes quickly scanned it over.
"Give that here," Harry cried, lunging for the parchment. "That's private Snape!"
Snape let him rip the paper from his hands and Harry quickly ran and threw it in the lit fire. His face was so red he knew Snape could see it across the room.
"That was private," he hissed. "It's none of your fucking business."
"I disagree," Snape said, his voice was still steady even though his eyes looked soft now. "I think that your decision to end your life is very much my business."
"I- I'm not- I wasn't going to," Harry sputtered. "I was just... just upset about the dementors. And they're gone now. So it's fine now. Yeah?"
"It is not fine," Snape said. "I cannot ignore the fact that you felt so desperate that you believed your only option was to end your life."
"I'm not going to end my life," Harry scowled. "I'm sorry- okay? I wasn't thinking. But I was going to talk to you! That's what you wanted, wasn't it? Me to come talk to you?"
"You had a plan," Snape said flatly. "You wrote a letter bequeathing your belongings to your friends and had a plan Harry."
Harry tried to think of a way to get them to drop the subject as Snape got to his feet and slowly walked around to his desk.
Snape looked over at Harry and he thought he saw a flash of fondness in his eyes before he summoned his patronus.
"What're you doing?" Harry asked nervously.
"Harry and I will be unavailable until at least January 5th when school resumes," he said, ignoring Harry altogether. "If you would kindly watch over my students it would be appreciated."
Harry snuck over to the door while Snape was sending off his patronus. He growled when he realized it was still locked with Snape's wards.
"We are returning home for the remainder of the break," Snape said as he watched Harry struggle with the door. "I believe we could both use a break from the castle."
"Oh." Harry dropped his hand and felt stupid all of a sudden. Snape had been acting weird so he was worried when Snape was calling up his patronus that he had something horrible planned. But going home for a week and half? That wasn't horrible. That would be wicked. "Okay, brill. Let me go grab Sevvie, my trunk, and tell my friends, yeah?"
"No need," Snape said as he scrawled something on a piece of parchment. "We will send Mavis for your owl and trunk and I will send Miss Bones a message letting her know of our departure. If you would step through the floo then I will follow behind you."
"Okaaaay," Harry said slowly. Snape was acting... off. Subdued, maybe? "I'll see you in a minute, at home?" he checked.
"You will," Snape said, his eyes calm and reassuring. Harry tried to ignore the part of his brain that was making him think he was trapped and decided to trust Snape.
Harry grabbed a pinch of the floo powder and called out their address and the password; "Spinners End, Sevvie!"
He closed his eyes as he whirled and twirled through different fireplaces before being spat out in their sitting room. He backed away quickly from the fireplace, not wanting to be hit when Snape arrived.
Snape was... being weird. Harry didn't know if he just accepted his explanation for the mad letter he'd wrote for Luna this morning or if maybe he didn't care? No. Not that one. Snape would care. He already said as much. Maybe he just understood about the dementors?
Harry had went to his office this morning planning on finding a way to explain about Theo's Dad without breaking his Vow. Instead, he was faced with Black and a mad story about dead men who weren't really dead and secret keepers and animagi and stupid fucking dogs with grey eyes.
He had sort of forgotten all about his plans until Snape brought it back up.
He wasn't sure if his plans changed or if they were just delayed now. His head felt clear of almost all the fog that had been filling it for weeks.
And he'd have to kill Sirius Black before he died.
He knew almost all his secrets now. He could be telling Lupin right now for all Harry knew.
Harry was pacing in front of the bookshelves, making plans, when Snape gracefully stepped from the floo.
"Are you hungry?" he asked.
"No," Harry murmured, distracted.
"Do you believe me when I say that nobody who wishes you harm will be able to penetrate our wards?"
Harry stopped pacing and looked curiously at Snape.
"Suppose so," he tilted his head as he studied Snape's casual stance and his tone. "Why?"
"Then will we fight over you relinquishing your knives to me for the remainder of the break or will you trust in your complete protection here?"
Harry scoffed and resumed his pacing.
"'M not giving up my knives," he said. "You've lost the plot."
"Accio Harry Potter's knives."
Harry looked up, startled, as both his knives went flying from his pockets to Snape's hands.
"What the hell?!" he cried. "Give those back Snape!"
"No," Snape said. He tapped the knives both with his wand and Harry shouted as they disappeared. "It would be terribly irresponsible of me to allow you to carry those at present time."
Harry stared open-mouthed at him.
"What- is this- what the hell?"
"You may have those back when I no longer believe you are a threat to yourself," Snape said calmly.
"I'm not a threat to myself," Harry sputtered. "What is this? Some sort of lockdown?"
"It is," Snape said as he sat on the recliner. "I assume you would prefer to remain here rather than stay at St Mungos?"
Harry paled at the threat. He wasn't going to the hospital.
"I'm. Not. Crazy." he said as he clenched his jaw. "That stuff I said- I didn't mean it. And- and it's your fault anyway!"
"My fault?" Snape raised a surprised brow at that. "How do you determine I am at fault for Black charading as a stray dog?"
"It's your fault I even said that stuff!" Harry said, his voice getting heated as he pinned this on Snape. "You told me to talk to someone, and I did, and then he told you what I said!"
"Aah, and it is of course my fault that you told Black of your intent to kill yourself," Snape said with the faintest sneer.
"That's not- THAT'S NOT WHAT I SAID!" Harry yelled. "You're making me sound crazy when I was just... just talking! I didn't mean it." Harry took a deep breath and looked around the room quickly. He could go out the front door but where would he go? The floo was in here and even though he used to apparate around London, he hadn't done it in a long time, nor for so long of a distance.
"I would appreciate you not running out, as this is your home," Snape said, once again guessing with an uncanny precision Harry's exact thoughts.
"I changed my mind," Harry said, thinking quickly. "Can we go back to Hogwarts?"
"No."
"No? What-?" Harry stared at Snape not understanding. "What's going on?"
"We, you and I, are going to go visit the Mind Healer."
"We, you and I, are not," he sneered with a mocking laugh. "You can go if you want."
"You can go to the Mind Healer or you can go to St Mungo's," Snape said.
Harry blinked as Snape's threat registered.
"Who are you?!" Harry demanded. "I thought you were my friend?!"
"I am, you arrogant brat," Snape hissed. "And as your friend I am telling you that you are going to end up in a small coffin if you do not get help."
Harry blanched at Snape's acidic tone and shook his head. This was too much. This whole day was too much.
"Can- can we go tomorrow?" he said quietly as he thought through his options. "I'm tired and this day... has been- been weird, yeah?"
Snape stared at him in the same way Harry usually studies people.
"You will go- without a fight- tomorrow morning?" he said, his gaze steely.
"I- yes," Harry lied. He'd find a way to get out of it between now and then. But if he had to go then anything was better than St Mungo's. He knew a couple street kids who got taken to hospitals and never came back. Harry wasn't going to be forced in some crazy hospital and left there to rot.
"I apologize Harry," Snape sighed. "Would you be willing to Vow it on your magic?"
Harry cleared the irritation, anger, and annoyance off his face and put on the bored mask that Snape himself taught him.
"Of course, Professor," he said coolly. "I swear on my magic that I'll go to the fucking Mind Healers office tomorrow."
Harry flinched to feel the cold vow sinking in to his skin.
"Thank you," Snape said, offering Harry a smile. "Would you like to get lunch?"
"Nope," Harry spat. "I'll be in my room."
He stormed up the stairs and slammed his door as hard as he could.
He vowed he'd go to the Mind Healers office. And he would. Snape couldn't make him fuckin talk though.