Harry shrugged a little bit as he began to properly bottle his draught, and tried to speak in a matter-of-fact voice. "Not much. He could tell he'd stuck his foot in it, asking so many questions about your father, so I told him if he could make up for it by not being such a prat." When he glanced up at Snape, the man looked all right with that, Harry thought. Probably that was what gave him the nerve to go on, "About the crest, sir--"
Sir. Harry broke off, shaking his head at himself. "Well, at least you can always tell when I'm uneasy."
"I'd prefer you not be." Snape deftly levitated some wax into a small cauldron and began melting it so Harry could seal his bottles. "You wanted to ask about the crest?"
"No, I just wanted to make sure you knew I didn't know that H.S. stood for your father. I... I wouldn't have used the crest if I'd known it would... er, bring up bad memories."
Snape gave a single, sharp nod. "You appear to have become more than competent with duplication charms."
Harry laughed a little. "Hermione."
"Ah."
They worked for a while in silence to finish bottling the draughts and clear away the mess left from Harry's brewing, and then Snape assigned Harry to brew a potion that had been covered earlier in the year. This one, in Harry's view, was much less useful. Well, he supposed it could come in handy if you had a problem with warts, but since he didn't...
"So where were you this morning?" he asked as he counted out the correct number of frog eyes and wincing, began to squash each one flat.
"Albus requested a meeting."
"What about? Me?"
Snape put his hand over Harry's and showed him how to move the pestle to achieve a better result with the frog eyes. "Not everything is about you, Harry."
"Then what?"
"I am in fact attempting to improve the Wolfsbane." Snape moved his hand and watched as Harry continued to work. "Albus merely wished to know how that was going."
"Improve it how?"
"To repress the change entirely."
Harry jerked his hand, skidding the pestle sideways and sending a frog's eye flying. "Oh, that'd be fantastic!"
"Don't become too excited. It isn't going well," Snape dryly informed him.
"Well, keep at it. Do you need some help? I'd be glad to render fat or crush beetles or whatever."
"I see. All that is needed to make you enthusiastic about potions is the possibility of helping Lupin."
"Well...." Harry gave his father a sheepish smile. Then something occurred to him. "You've been working on this project a while, haven't you? And not trying too terribly hard to keep it under wraps, I think. So that's why you Polyjuiced yourself into Remus when it was his moon time! You wanted rumours to get out that the Order was working on the Wolfsbane!"
"Very well reasoned." Snape sounded impressed, Harry thought. That was nice.
"You know I thought at the time it was strange, your coming with me as Remus when the full moon was coming on. But then I just figured there had to be some plot afoot. I'd have worked it out sooner, I think, if I hadn't gotten so distracted by... other things."
"Yes, you've had an eventful year."
"Ha, aren't they all," murmured Harry.
"Not quite like this one, I think." Snape quirked a small smile. "I suppose that as you have figured out the bulk of the plot on your own, you may was well know the rest. The Order wanted to give the impression that such a potion was being worked on and tested, so the werewolves wouldn't be tempted by Voldemort's offers of Muggle prey. However, since it would have been a tactical error to imply the potion was ready when in fact it was not, I was quite careful not to be seen outside Privet Drive when the full moon was at its peak."
"Did it work? The plan?"
"In part. Lupin has been recruiting werewolves, you understand, as well as pursuing his... other duties. He has reported both success and failure." Snape scowled. "Not every werewolf, apparently, desires a more normal life. But those who do will be with us, I believe."
"When will the improved Wolfsbane be ready?" asked Harry as he tossed the frog eyes into the oil bubbling away in his cauldron.
Snape sighed. "Quite possibly never. Other potions can be tested as often as one desires, but with but one trial possible each month?"
Since Remus was away, Harry had to wonder... "But who are you testing it on? I mean, you wouldn't owl a potion to Remus, would you, considering..."
"No. Albus has contacts with those who know others in your... friend's situation. It is safer for them not to be seen corresponding directly with me, or indeed, with anyone in the Order."
"Well, if you do need some help chopping or stirring or anything--"
"Yes, Harry," Snape drawled. "I will keep you in mind."
Laughing a little, Harry tried to concentrate then on making a perfect wart-removal potion.
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Snape and Harry worked straight through until about three, when they broke off to have some lunch. Draco had obviously eaten earlier and hadn't bothered to clean up after himself; the table was strewn with dirty dishes and used cutlery. Sighing, Snape banished everything except the well-wish.
Curious about how many lines Draco had written, Harry looked around for the stacks of parchment he'd noticed earlier, but they were nowhere to be seen. From the sound of things, Draco was taking a shower, so Harry reasoned he must have taken his work into the bedroom. He knew a strong urge to go have a look in there, but since he'd just rebuked Draco--unfairly, as it turned out--for snooping, he decided he'd better not.
After lunch they brewed yet another potion, this one a draught that made you steady on your feet.
Much better than wart removal, Harry thought. Could come in handy if you had to cross a river or climb a slippery slope.
Draco was at the table again when they went out for dinner. When he saw them come out he swept his scattered parchments into a pile and hurried off to the bedroom with them, as though ashamed he'd actually been working. Well, he'd had to write over and over that he wouldn't act like a Gryffindor, so Harry supposed he probably was feeling a little bit embarrassed. He came right out to join them for dinner, though, so that was good.
What was even better was that the whole way through the meal, he didn't say one rude thing.
Of course, that might have been because he didn't say much of anything. Draco seemed to be in a little bit of a brooding mood, but Harry took his cue from Snape and didn't press him to join in the conversation.
After dinner was when the evening took a turn for the worse.
"Here," said Harry, fetching his essay out of his school bag.
Snape unrolled the scroll and began reading it, his dark eyes intent. "You appear to appreciate the danger you were inviting," he admitted when he'd finished.
Harry nodded. "Yes. I don't suppose you want to hear that I'm sorry... but I am."
"Just see to it that you use better judgment in future." Snape's gaze sought out Draco, who was sitting on the sofa by then. "I should like to see your work as well."
Draco shrugged as he got up. "Sure. It's just lines, though. I didn't get to any schoolwork." He came back with a messy pile of parchments in his hands, and plunked them down onto the table.
Snape touched them with a finger, then drew his wand.
Draco took a step back, his back stiff, his hands shoved deep down into his pockets.
One whispered spell later, and the Potions Master was frowning. "Harry, I should have told you last night that it would be best if you didn't lend Draco any parchment until further notice."
Harry drew his eyebrows together. "I didn't lend him any..."
"Then he has helped himself, I fear."