The needle he hastily transfigured back into a match, which he then shoved into a pocket. This way he'd always have the match for when he was ready to practise again. Or train, rather. That's what he was doing, training his mind and body to get over his fears.
He felt better knowing the match was in his pocket for the next time he wanted it.
"Up here," he finally called out, just as the door swung open and Snape and Draco entered.
"What are you doing all the way up here?" asked Snape, glancing around. "As I recall, you never much cared for this room."
That was true. When Harry had lived here back in the autumn, he'd taken up residence in another room. "I guess it's all right," said Harry, ignoring the first question. "I still miss Sirius something awful sometimes, but maybe avoiding his room was a little silly. I just wish I could have had a chance to know him better."
Snape nodded, his expression hard for Harry to assess. And no wonder, considering what the man was thinking. "Harry . . . if I knew of any way to bring him back through the Veil, I would do it, for you."
Harry's eyes widened. "Really?"
Snape nodded again. No hesitation in the gesture. "Yes. Really."
Harry couldn't help but think about how that would likely go. "Sirius . . . hmm. You know, he might not take it so well that you're my father. He'd probably have some choice words on the subject."
Snape's eyes began to glitter. "I imagine he would. However, I think you and I are at a place where we could weather even that storm."
"Yeah." Harry nodded. That was a nice feeling, knowing his new family was just there, no matter what. Not that Sirius was coming back. Harry knew well enough that it was impossible. But Snape offering, even if he knew it was impossible too . . . well, that was really something.
Harry got up off the bed. "So, trifle sounds good. And then are we having some more time in Devon? Or is it back to Hogwarts? We have classes tomorrow, you know."
"I'd completely forgotten. Classes on a Monday? What can the Governors be thinking?"
"Ha, very funny." Something occurred to Harry, then. "Oh, that's why you were discussing teaching schedules a while ago. You were arranging for people to take your classes."
"Among other things," said Snape in a dark voice.
Draco hadn't said anything for a while; he'd merely been looking around the room, his gaze assessing.
"I know, it's small as houses go. By your standards," sighed Harry.
Draco's silver eyes met Harry's, but only for a moment. "It is, but that wasn't what I was thinking, actually. It's just . . . I'll talk to you about it later."
"All right."
"Shall we Apparate, then?" Snape looked from Harry to Draco. "I know of a pastry shop in Butterleigh with a secluded alley behind it. We won't be seen arriving there."
Harry drew his wand and cast Tempus. "Will it still be open, this late on a Sunday?"
Draco made a face. "What is it with Muggles and Sundays, anyway?"
Harry shrugged. He wasn't exactly sure, though he thought it had to do with it being the day churches met. "Superstition? We have them too."
"I think it will still be open."
"I'll just pop downstairs to say good-bye to Remus, then--"
Snape held up a hand. "I do believe that Lupin is unavailable. He was doing some research before the meeting interrupted him, and mentioned wanting to finish. In fact, he said to tell you both not to go into the library at all."
Oh, Remus must have been seeing what information he could get out of that rotten portrait, Harry realised. He definitely didn't want to see it again, not even in order to tell Remus good-bye. Not that Remus would want to be interrupted, anyway. "All right, let's just go."
Snape pulled Harry and Draco both against him and they Apparated away.
------------------------------------------------------
They spent two more days in Devon. This time, Harry was actually bored, but that might have had a lot to do with the fact that Severus and Draco were pretty busy compiling information for Remus to have. They spent hours bent over the small dining table together, racking their brains for facts and details that Narcissa would expect her husband to know. They didn't mean to exclude him, Harry knew, but since he didn't have any information about Lucius Malfoy save that he'd been a horrible person, he didn't have anything to contribute.
So Harry went flying alone, borrowing the XL at times, but even that palled after a while. One-on-none Quidditch just wasn't that much fun. He worked a little bit on his spell lexicon since there was always more to translate. And he chatted with Sals, who'd been neglected for a while.
But mostly, he found time to be by himself, way out under an old tree at the edge of the property, where he'd roll up his sleeve and continue his project of getting over his fear of needles.
It was working, too. He could stab himself without even flinching much, now. Sometimes, as he drove the needle through his flesh over and over, he could feel himself descending into a kind of trance . . . like sleeping without closing his eyes. He tried not to fall into it too far, though. He didn't want to miss hearing Snape or Draco calling him again.
On Tuesday evening after dinner, Snape announced that they'd been gone from Hogwarts long enough and would return early the next morning.
"Just in time to go to Defence," said Harry, frowning. "Um . . . Aran's not still going to be teaching it, is he?"
"Actually, he is."
Harry's mouth dropped open. "You have got to be kidding. He attacked a student! Namely, me!"
"And he'll pay for it," said Snape darkly. "I don't want him sacked. It would only make it all the harder to deal with him properly."
"Oh, fine," said Harry sarcastically. "Inflict him on me again, why don't you? Haven't I put up with enough? Weren't you listening at all, the other night when I told you how bad it was in class with him?"
"It won't be like that again."
"Sure it won't. You think just because he's forgotten the last three or four weeks, he won't remember how much he hates Parselmouths?"
Snape gave Harry a stern look, as if he'd had quite enough argument. "I think he won't dare indulge his hatred again."
"Yes, sir," muttered Harry.
"What's to stop him?" asked Draco, taking over when Harry said nothing more.
Snape's lips curled upwards in a thin, grim line. "Me. Did I neglect to mention that I'll be supervising his classes until the end of term?"
Harry thought it was a good thing he didn't have a drink, because he was sure he'd have spewed it, he guffawed so hard. His irritation with his father vanished completely. "Oh, that's brilliant, it is! Ha, did I neglect to mention he's scared witless of you? I bet he'll get all tongue-tied and make even more of a fool of himself than usual!"
Snape raised one eyebrow. "Oh, surely not." His voice sounded innocent. Far too innocent. "I'll merely be there to ensure he treats all students with the respect and even-handedness to which they're entitled."
Like Snape was the best example in the world of respect and even-handedness towards his students. Harry almost laughed again. But since this was Aran they were talking about, he ignored the irony and moved ahead to what he really wanted to know. "You're just going to supervise the sixth-year class?"
Snape's eyes glittered. "Now how even-handed would that be, Harry, showing such blatant preference? I think in the interests of fairness I have to be present throughout all his classes, don't you?"