Harry sat and strummed the guitar idly, trying to find his mood. He played "Hotel California" softly as he thought of what had transpired the last few days. He finally decided on a song that he had always loved to sing whenever he was melancholy.
Harry sat up properly and started to play, starting to sing softly, then a little louder...
"Hush now, don't you cry, Wipe away the teardrop from your eye. You're lying safe in bed. It was all a bad dream spinning in your head..." * * *
Severus finished his inventory and his list of needed supplies. Knowing that Harry was probably now done with his tour of the manor, Severus decided to see how he was faring. He was worried for the young man, not knowing how well he would be able to cope with the deaths of his last remaining relatives.
Severus walked down the hall of the north wing, slowing down when he heard the strumming of a guitar and a low voice singing. He listened as the words floated down the hallway...
"Your mind tricked you to feel the pain of someone close to you leaving the game of life. So here it is, another chance. Wide-awake you face the day. Your dream is over... or has it just begun?"
Severus came to the open door of the sitting room and looked at Harry. Harry did not see him standing there; he was facing away from the door. This gave Severus the chance to watch him unnoticed. Severus leaned against the doorway, allowing his head to rest against the doorway, and he listened to Harry sing...
"There's a place I like to hide. A doorway that I run through in the night. Relax child, you were there but only didn't realize and you were scared. It's a place where you will learn to face your fears, retrace the years and ride the whims of your mind. Commanding in another world. Suddenly, you hear and see this magic new dimension."
Severus smiled at the appropriateness of the song being sung and wondered vaguely where Harry had learned how to play the guitar.
"I will be watching over you I am gonna help you see it through. I will protect you in the night. I am smiling next to you... In Silent Lucidity..."
/You are a surprise, Mr. Potter. I wonder what else you have up your sleeve. This is indeed going to be an interesting summer/ Severus thought, continuing his eavesdropping.
"...If you open your mind for me you won't rely on open eyes to see. The walls you built within come tumbling down, and a new world will begin. Living twice at once you learn you're safe from pain in the dream domain. A soul set free to fly, a round trip journey in your head. Master of illusion, can you realize your dream's alive, you can be the guide but... I will be watching over you I am gonna help you see it through. I will protect you in the night. I am smiling next to you..."
Harry finished his song and jumped when Severus spoke.
"That was lovely, Mr. Potter. May I ask where you learned to play the guitar, and if you play any other instrument?"
"Yes you may ask, and if you keep calling me 'Mr. Potter', I'm going to hit you over the head with this guitar."
Severus rolled his eyes. "Well, Harry, answer my question."
"Dudley got a guitar and self-teaching books a few years ago for his birthday, and he hated it. I liked playing instruments, and so while the Dursleys were gone places, I taught myself to play. I had already taught myself to play the piano when no one was around. Professor Dumbledore allows me to use the piano in his private chambers whenever I wish. He says he likes to hear me play. Those are the only instruments I play."
"I see. If I had known you could play, I would have had you entertain me. I have a piano in my chambers at Hogwarts....Or perhaps not." Severus said dryly, watching Harry fall to the floor in a fit of giggles.
"I'm sorry," Harry said, once the fit passed and he was able to compose himself. "But could you just see it...me, creeping down to your chambers at night to play the piano. And you allowing Harry Potter, "The Boy Who Lived", the bane of your existence, to infiltrate your personal space to play Chopsticks!" Harry broke out in another fit of giggles, and even Severus had to laugh.
"I see your point. Still, it would have been nice to have someone who enjoyed the piano as much as I do."
"Well, then, I'll just have to regale you with my talent as I do my wit!" Severus groaned and Harry laughed. "So, what can I do for you? You obviously came here for a reason."
"Actually, I did. First to see how you were faring. Second, to give you this." Severus held out a sealed vial. "It's Dreamless Sleep Potion. I thought that for tonight, you could well do without nightmares."
"Thank you," Harry said, taking the vial from Severus. "I'll be sure to use it."
Harry looked at Severus curiously, more pointedly, at his hair. It looked much different than it did when they were at Hogwarts. "Hey, Severus, can I ask you a question?"
"As if I could stop you."
"Your hair. Right now it's...well...shiny and-" Harry boldly reached out and touched it despite Severus' warning glare. "soft. Why is it not like this at Hogwarts? It always looks so greasy and limp."
"Honestly, Potter, just when I think you have a solitary intelligent brain cell in your head, you come up with an all-time stupid statement."
"Just humor me."
"Use your head and think about it, Potter. I'm a teacher, a potions teacher. I'm up at sometimes four or five in the morning brewing potions for Madame Pomfrey, most of which have been used on you. Then I spend most of the day sitting in a room of hot cauldrons and exploding potions. And then after dinner, I work on them again, when I'm not seeing to detentions and trying to catch wayward students who are out after curfew-yes, I am looking at you. Why do you think my hair is always greasy? I assure you that I bathe every day, despite what my pitiful students may think."
"Sorry. I never really thought about it that way. "
"Mm. Obviously. How about a game of chess before dinner?" Severus asked.
"Sounds like fun, although I have the feeling that I am going to be beaten spectacularly."
"I would have to concur with that statement, Mr. Potter." Severus laughed as Harry glared at him. "Come on."
Severus and Harry made their way down to the library, where Severus beat him twice before dinner. * * * *