Remus slowly nodded. "Odd how things work out, yes. Have you any thoughts on what you'd like me to project during the interview?"
"See, I knew Slytherins weren't the only ones who had heard of strategy. Um, yeah, actually I have. I don't think you're supposed to talk, but your whole attitude sitting there could make a difference. You know how I used to complain about Snape all the time? Well, don't be surprised if I don't mention that. I want this to go through, so I pretty much plan to sugar-coat everything."
"Don't overdo it," Remus warned. "The casewitch will be looking for truth, and she'll know how to recognize a marked lack of it."
"Oh, there're plenty of good things I can say about Snape," Harry returned, nodding. "But yeah, I know what you mean. Say, Remus... I'm really glad you're here, and not just because I missed you. Remember how you analyzed those prophetic dreams I used to have?"
Remus had the grace to flush. "Your dreams have since turned out to be quite literal visions of the future."
"But your analysis was really good, Remus," Harry insisted, sitting up and leaning forward. "I've been thinking about it a lot. Well, today anyway," he admitted. "The dreams have come true, some of them, but what you said they meant also made a lot of sense. Everything you said I was feeling, I really was, and it was reflected in the dreams, just as much as the future was. So... I wondered if you'd help me unravel a dream I had just last night. Nightmare, I mean. It was really confusing, full of weird shifts and changes and stuff that would just never happen in real life."
A kind smile curled Remus' lips. "This is quite a change, Harry. Back at Grimmauld Place you were eager to stop me from prying into your private feelings."
"I should apologize for being so rude to you," Harry realized. "I'm sorry. Things just... got out of hand." He flushed, but met Remus' eyes. "I understand more now, what Sirius meant when he said that lots of people are idiots when they're young. I didn't mean to be such a cheeky little snotrag. I didn't even know I was. But when I think back... well, I shouldn't have thrown my shoe at the mirror, for starters."
"It's all right," Remus assured him. "I was young once, too. So, your dream?"
Harry told him the whole thing, sparing no detail, adding, "I figured out already why Snape was like a ghost at first, and then was with Sirius. I'm afraid of getting him killed, and no wonder, after what happened with Sirius. And Uncle Vernon, come to think of it, not that his death breaks me up. But still, he's dead because he was connected to me. I have this nasty habit of endangering people, see."
Thankfully, Remus didn't try to argue with him about that. "Severus is aware of the danger, and very well equipped to handle it," he pointed out.
"Wasn't Sirius?"
"Not to nearly the same degree."
"Yeah," Harry acknowledged. "Well, that still hurts something awful. I usually don't even think about it." He paused a moment, dragging in one deep breath after another, and managed to move on. "So why do you think I dreamed about Snape going past saying all the passwords? It was weird how they worked, too. The first one opened Dumbledore's office; the second one Portkeyed me back into it..."
"You're subconsciously wondering if Severus has all the answers?" Remus suggested. "But you're realizing that his answers won't always work as you expect."
"Hmm, maybe. Why Portkey me there, though? For my real interview, I was with Darswaithe right here."
"Darswaithe means danger to you. Perhaps you thought you'd be safer in Albus' office. Or it could be a sign that you distrust Professor Dumbledore in some measure, perhaps."
No perhaps about it, Harry thought. "Talk about distrust. His door opened up into the forest. I didn't realize where at first, but it was the forest where I was tortured."
Remus nodded. "Not that the headmaster was in any way complicit, of course."
"No, I didn't mean that," Harry murmured. "What else? Well, the Fat Lady wouldn't let me in, but that just goes back to me feeling sort of insecure, I guess. About Gryffindor. But I asked Snape about moving back and he didn't have any problem with it, as soon as things go back to normal."
"Normal," Remus repeated in an odd tone.
"Normal for me," Harry clarified, smiling.
"Harry," Remus suddenly said, "I don't think I've ever seen you so much at ease."
"Yeah, I feel good," Harry agreed. "Um, happy. You know, it's really a pretty strange feeling for me. I can't think of when I was last happy. The only thing that still bugs me is that I don't have my magic back. But you know what?" He quirked another smile. "It's kind of... neat, I guess, that Professor Snape wants to adopt me now, when I'm missing it."
"Because he's adopting you, not some sort of Wizarding savior."
"Well, he's never really seen me as that," Harry murmured. "But yeah, that's what I meant."
A knock on the door interrupted them, then. Harry had to place his palm on it to make it open. Draco was standing there, the look on his face resigned and resentful all at once, but the expression was wiped clean almost as soon as Harry saw him. "They're here," he quietly said.
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Snape had walked the casewitch down after they'd concluded their interview in the office adjoining his Potions classroom. Now, since the proper formalities had been sidestepped the day before, he introduced her to everyone in the room, then gesturing toward Remus, explaining that given the fiasco with Darswaithe, Harry had expressed a preference to henceforth be chaperoned while with Wizard Family Services staff.
Harry all at once felt about three years old. Chaperoned.
Amaelia Thistlethorne didn't appear to find the request disquieting. "I understand," she merely murmured, casting a sympathetic glance toward the boy. "Would you be able to remain in your quarters until I've finished with Mr. Potter, Professor Snape? If possible, I'd like to conclude this business, today."
Snape inclined his head in acknowledgment.
Draco suddenly cleared his throat, his voice emerging rough with repressed emotion, which seemed rather odd, as what he had to say was, "Please excuse me. I need to finish a... an essay, and Floo it to Professor Sprout."
Harry cast him a strange look. "But we haven't had an essay in Herbology in ages."
"Some of us," Draco huffed, "are taking advanced topics."
It was the first Harry had heard of such a thing, but he just shrugged.
"Shall we?" inquired the casewitch, fussing a bit with her voluminous robes. Purple, today. They still clashed with her awful red hair.
Remembering Draco's perfect manners, Harry thought to offer, "Ah, can I take your robes and get you something to drink, before we begin?" Never mind that when it came to the drink, he'd need to ask for some help.
She shrugged out of her robes to reveal a garish dress, equally purple. Snape took the robes without a word, and draped them over one arm, his face a careful blank though Harry could tell he didn't like touching them.
"Nothing to drink, no thank you," she murmured, but added, looking carefully at Harry, "I thought perhaps you might feel better about the situation if I let Professor Snape have my wand for the duration?"
That was certainly unexpected. "Uh, yeah. Sure," Harry agreed, though his Slytherin side didn't take the offer at face value. How was he to know if she'd given up her real wand? For all that though, he wasn't terribly worried that she would attack him.
Thistlethorne handed a length of pale maple to Snape, and then followed Harry and Remus into the Professor's warded office.