"I have good instincts," Harry insisted.
"And what are they telling you?" asked Snape. "Be honest."
Harry pursed his lips. What were they telling him? Mostly, that he didn't want Remus to place himself in danger. But that was personal, as Remus had said. He tried to push that aside and listen to what his instincts for the war might be saying. "You might get us some really good information," he finally said, sighing.
It was hard ignoring his personal feelings. Harder than he would have thought. But then again, that's what Snape was doing, wasn't it? He had every reason to resent Lupin displacing him as the Order's most important source of information. But unlike at first, he seemed to be taking it well these days.
And if his father could, then so could Harry. "Be careful," he said in a low voice.
"I will." Remus said good-bye, then, including Draco in the farewell. Draco nodded, his features impassive. That was better than him being rude, Harry supposed.
Fishing a pair of glasses from his pocket, Snape turned to Harry. "These ones should be self-adjusting. If there's nothing further, we'll see to your Elixir and be on our way."
"Actually, Madame Pomfrey said she wanted to talk with you--"
"No doubt." Severus' voice was a tad grim. "Open your eyes wide, Harry, and tilt your head back."
Once the Elixir was in, Harry put his new glasses on and shoved his hands in his pockets. "You know, this yo-yo routine is really getting old."
"Yo-yo?" asked Draco.
"Oh, Muggle toy. I just mean, one minute I can see, the next minute I can't . . . I swear, I'm to the point where I don't even care where it settles. I just want to stop switching back and forth!"
"It must be frustrating, yes," said Snape. "There is nothing to be done, however. If it's any consolation, I do intend you to have an enjoyable few days as we all . . . recover, from recent events."
"Yeah, Draco mentioned that." Something about his father's phrasing startled Harry, though. "Wait, few days? Just the weekend, I thought."
Snape shook his head. "We may be back on Tuesday, possibly Wednesday."
"Better get my books then--"
"No. Absolutely no books," said Snape, no glint of humour about him. "Or at least, no schoolbooks. You're not to study until we return. This is not negotiable."
Harry laughed a little bit. "We'll fall behind, you understand."
"Your health is more important than your studies, Harry."
"But I feel fine--"
"The boy doesn't know to quit when he's ahead," said Draco dryly. "I, for one, will be only too delighted to enjoy a brief holiday after all that's happened."
All that's happened. Harry shuddered a little as a series of horrors flashed through his mind. He almost hated to ask with Draco there, but he couldn't quite resist. "Um, the snakes, the pit? Are they still there? I'm kind of worried some Muggle child might fall in. I mean, it's just the sort of thing Lucius might think was amusing, so I doubt he'd ward it properly."
"Albus dealt with the pit. I believe he banished the snakes back to the jungles from which Lucius had summoned them to begin with. And I, of course, erased the elf's memory that such a thing had ever existed."
Out of the corner of his eye, Harry saw Draco make a face. That was enough to settle his mind about Devon. "I guess I won't bring Sals on our holiday," he said, shrugging.
Draco flashed his teeth, his disgruntled expression fading. "That's considerate of you, Harry. But you know, I think I'm getting over the worst of my morbid fear. Something about facing it down, eh? If I can kill an enormous poisonous snake with my bare hands and without even using magic then yes, I think I can cope with your pencil-thin wisp of a pet."
"Enormous poisonous snake?" asked Snape, one eyebrow raised.
Draco held his father's gaze for a moment. "Well, medium-sized, we'll say."
"Medium-sized?"
"Oh, fine!" snapped Draco. "The one I killed wasn't a whole lot bigger than Sals, if you want the truth. But I think the principal still applies, n'est-ce pas?"
"You were very, very brave," Harry said with a straight face. Since he couldn't nudge his father with his elbow without Draco seeing, Harry tried to give Snape a look.
"Yes, very courageous indeed," said Snape after a moment's pause. "In fact, rather than Evanesco your Serpensortia snake, Albus sent it to a good home as well. In tribute to your courage and loyalty. I am exceedingly proud of you. Of both of you. I could not ask for a finer pair of sons."
Draco grinned. Clearly he needed to hear well done just as much as Harry did.
"Shall we be off?"
Harry nodded. "All right, then, I'll just pop up to the Tower to fetch Sals--"
"No need." Fishing in the pocket of his robe, Snape pulled the little snake out. "With your permission, Harry, I'll prepare her for the Floo journey."
Feeling a bit mischevious, Harry said, "Maybe Draco wants to hold her first. No? Are you sure, Draco? Oh, very well then. Get her ready."
"Very funny, Harry," growled Draco as they stepped into the large Floo in the hospital wing.
Harry fingered his Sals-bracelet, then pulled his sleeve down over it. "I thought so."
"Just one moment!" said Pomfrey as she bustled in. "Where are you going, Professor Snape? I need to speak with you!"
Harry caught a strange look on his father's face. He wasn't quite sure what it meant, except that Snape didn't want to talk to Pomfrey. Or perhaps, he didn't want to listen to her.
Harry had a feeling it was only to set a good example for his sons that Snape stepped out of the Floo and faced the mediwitch. "Yes, Madame Pomfrey?"
She glanced uncertainly at Harry and Draco, who were still standing in the Floo. "Perhaps my office would be a more appropriate place to hold this discussion?"
"I can't imagine why," said Snape mildly. "I do believe my sons may hear whatever you wish to say."
"Well then, here it is," said Pomfrey in a voice that was a good deal more frosty. "Mr Potter is delicate, as you well know, or should, after the kinds of injuries he suffered earlier this year. And now you have permitted him to become magically exhausted--and not just that, but to suffer impairment of his vision once again. You simply must take better care of him. He is fragile."
"Oh, I am not!" You barmy old bat, Harry almost added. He probably would have, if it wouldn't have been such a terrible example when he was trying to encourage Draco to be more polite to Remus.
"I will take better care of him," said Snape smoothly, nodding.
The mediwitch huffed. "See that you do. And then there is the matter of Mr Snape. He was poisoned! Is that any way to care for him?"
For one horrible second, Harry thought she meant the time that Snape had convinced Draco to take Venetimorica. How had she found out? But as it turned out, she meant the snakes.
"I will take better care of him, as well. I take it my proposed holiday for both the boys is a sound notion, in your view?"
Somewhat mollified, Pomfrey nodded.
"Excellent. Then we'll be on our way." Snape stepped into the Floo with Harry and Draco and fetching a pinch of powder from a vial in his pocket, sent them hurtling down to his quarters to pack.
Once his duffel was ready, Harry went back into the living room. "You didn't agree with her, did you? You don't really think I'm . . ." he grimaced. "Delicate?"
"I'd prefer you not tangle with Death Eaters again until you're ready, but you're anything but delicate," said Snape. "Agreeing was simply the most efficient way of silencing her tirade."
"Right, Slytherin." Harry thought that was fine. "I'm pretty sick of bed rest. I was worried you'd make me, you know, take it easy in Devon."