Because You Love Me

21. Late Night Talks

"I read in the newspaper Gringotts was broken into," Harry said conversationally. "How'd they do it, Mum?"

Alaina was sitting in her office in the comfortable old arm chair beside of her desk looking at the assignments her classes had turned in earlier. Harry was sitting in her desk chair cross-legged and talking up a storm. In the last ten minutes, she had learned Ron was an awesome best friend and he felt sorry for some girl named Hermione Granger because she didn't have any. Harry had told her he would probably end up being her friend, too because he didn't want her to feel alone. Classes had been over for twenty minutes and he had been in her office as long.

"I don't know, sweetie," she answered him. "I guess it would have had to been someone pretty powerful though. When James and Lily started your account there, they said Gringotts was probably just as safe or safer than Hogwarts."

Harry frowned. "It makes me wonder. Luckily whatever it was had been removed."

"Yes, that was lucky."

"I wonder what it was. It must have been something pretty important."

Alaina smiled. There was his curious side coming out to play. "You'll probably never know, Harry. How were your classes? With all this talking you've been doing, you haven't even mentioned them."

He seemed to tense at the mention of his classes and he suddenly became extremely quiet.

"That bad, huh?" she asked after several long moments of silence.

"Not really," he told her with a sigh. "I like all of my classes...er, except for one."

"And which one would that be?"

Harry seemed ashamed to answer her. "Potions."

Severus's class, she thought instantly. That led her to the next question. "Is it the class itself or the teacher?"

"The teacher."

Alaina's eyebrows raised. She was afraid he was going to say that.

"It's just- Well, I don't think Professor Snape likes me very much. He sort of called me out in class. It made me feel uncomfortable. And-" he paused, fidgeting nervously with his hands. "When I was being sorted yesterday and he looked at me, my scar burned. It felt like my whole forehead was on fire."

She stared at him. "Harry, why didn't you tell me this before? Like when it happened?"

He shrugged. "I don't know. I hadn't really thought about it since it happened yesterday."

Alaina laid her papers to the side. She would have to grade them later after her meeting with Severus. She hadn't forgotten about him. She just had not expected Harry to come and visit her so soon. Plus, the fact Harry's scar was hurting scared her to death. That was more important than paperwork at the moment.

"Has it hurt since?"

"No. It didn't even hurt in class or anything when he was sitting right in front of me, which is really weird."

"It is strange." She frowned. "Harry, listen to me very carefully. I'm not trying to scare you, but if it ever happens again you are to let me know immediately. If for some reason I'm not around, then you need to let another adult you know and trust know about it."

He gazed at her, his eyes wide with fear.

Her features softened. "Like I said, I'm not trying to scare you, but I just want you to know your scar is not to be taken lightly. When you're touched by dark magic, it leaves a trace. It lingers and it could be some sort of sign."