A Bond for the Ages

Chapter 5

Harry poked at his breakfast, his eyes down and his mouth shut. The only sounds were cutlery on plates, the crinkling of the Daily Prophet, and birds outside. The early morning sun and the birdsong could do nothing to ease the suffocating atmosphere inside the manor.

It had been one week since he and Malfoy had begun their stay at Prince Manor. Only one week; it had felt like a year. Snape had been true to his word; they only saw each other at meals. The other twenty-one hours, he and Malfoy stayed hidden in their rooms. Snape hadn't spoken to them about their curious appearance at Hogwarts since the first day, obviously determining he had the answer. Dumbledore had brought him his belongings from Privet Drive the other day, but, other than to confirm everything had been retrieved, he hadn't bothered with his trunk. Snape had disappeared for several hours three times, twice for what they both knew were Death Eater meetings and once for something unknown to them. They were locked in their rooms each time, only released many hours later or the next morning for breakfast.

He hated it. It felt just like the Dursleys' but without the daily beatings. He supposed he could concede it was moderately better since it was just being ignored and locked away rather than that and beatings and starvation on top.

When Snape had returned from the second Death Eater meeting that week and had removed the Locking Charms, Harry had peeked out to see the professor. He wasn't sure why. Maybe he'd hoped to learn if the man was a true Death Eater or a spy just by sight. Whatever he'd subconsciously hoped to see or learn, he found something else. The robes and upgraded silver mask had terrified him, briefly sending him back to the graveyard. He'd almost gone back into his room, but then he'd noticed the shaking hand that clenched into a fist. The man had stopped outside of his bedroom, bowed his head, and viciously punched the wall beside his door. Harry had jumped at the aggression and shrunk back. Snape had stood there for a time, his head down and fist against the wall. He thought he saw something drip form the professor's fist, but it was dark and he couldn't be sure. Eventually Snape had quietly slipped into his room and Harry returned to his, unsure what to think.

He'd found himself looking at Snape surreptitiously a lot since that night as though trying to figure out a mystery. If the professor had noticed his looks, he hadn't shown any reaction.

"To your rooms," Snape ordered as they cleared their plates.

Harry looked at the man again, making tiny, slow moves to make it seem like he was getting up to leave. Snape had been...off since that night. He seemed angrier, but it hadn't actually come out. Something was bothering the professor and he wondered if it had anything to do with the meeting.

He pushed himself to his feet and settled on his crutch. He was about to head up to his room when Malfoy spoke, making him spin around.

"Sir, could we spend some time outside?" Malfoy asked quietly.

Harry's eyes flicked between Malfoy and Snape as a tense silence grew in response to Malfoy's question. Malfoy wasn't looking at Snape, but had a determined expression on his face. Harry thought he could also see some desperation and he found himself relating to the blonde. He was losing his mind being stuck in his room, remembering the month he'd been locked in his room at Privet Drive after first year. He and Malfoy obviously had the same longing to feel more than a breeze through their windows and to see more than the same four walls.

Snape's expression was completely unreadable as his dark eyes considered both Malfoy and Harry. The silence seemed to go on forever and Harry was going to resume his exit, assuming the man wasn't going to answer, when Snape finally spoke.

"The fence that lines the property is also the edge of the wards. Do not pass the fencing," Snape said and Harry couldn't help but gape at the man. Even Malfoy had raised his head to look at Snape, his eyes wide, obviously surprised his request had been approved. Seeming to ignore Harry's and Malfoy's reactions, Snape swept from the dining room.