When Living Ain\'t Easy

AN: Thanks to everyone who have taken the time to review. Your comments and observations have been delightfully entertaining, and often useful in double-checking where the storyline is headed.
I must offer my apologies now, though... This chapter is rather short, and it might be the last one up til next week. My darling children \'volunteered\' me to chair a committee for an upcoming school event. Oh joy.
Speaking of children, I borrowed my 15 year old son as a model -- unbeknownst to him, naturally -- during a particularly *cough* loud fit of temper this weekend. So in case he ever bothers to read this, thank you Rick.

Chapter Nine : Oscillating Emotions

\"Much as it pains me to agree with you, Harry, for once you have your priorities in order.\" Deepest brown eyes flicked toward his contemporary, but before one of their silent exchanges could take place, Harry interrupted the \'discussion\'.

\"Y\'know, it\'d be really nice if you two would *cut that out*!\" The Gryffindor blew a lock of hair out of his eye, clearly exasperated with his new tutors. \"We should be building some level of trust here, and all this \'looking\' that you\'re doing is hardly going to help matters. If you\'ve got something to say, tell the whole class or hold your comments til you leave the room.\" Harry snorted at what he\'d just said, then continued with words intended to prick the older men\'s elitest attitudes, \"After all, it\'s so terribly rude to talk about someone behind their back, or in this case to un-talk in front of my face.\"

While the two coherent Slytherins contemplated Harry\'s complaint, he was busy building up a fine head of steam. So many people felt him too young to handle the important facts he truly needed to know concerning the upcoming conflict. Too young to be informed of the dirty details. Too young to be armed properly. Too young to be responsible with the more advanced magics (that were desperately needed to keep him alive). Just too young period.

By the time Severus collected his thoughts into a reasonable facsimile of an apology -- such as it was, as no true Slytherin would offer amends without appropriate motivation -- his student had worked himself up to a high tantrum.

From his position, Lucius was better able to see the play of emotions crossing the Gryffindor\'s face. Unfortunately for him, he had less practice at interpreting Harry\'s range of temperment than either his son or his friend. He suspected, due to the younger man\'s tender years and stage of development, that he was dangerously close to a very large, flashing \'X\'... ETA to emotional breakdown : 10 seconds and counting.

Standing abruptly, the red-faced Gryffindor proceeded to prowl the length and width of the study -- at 12x14, this meant several near misses of running into the trio of Slytherins. With each lap around the rather small room, Harry\'s magic crackled ominously, sending tendrils of apprehension through the older wizards and disturbing Draco\'s after-breakfast nap. Books began levitating, scrolls rattled in aggitation, and desk drawers opened and closed in a cacaphony of noise. One particularly enthusiastic quill circumnavigated the younger blond\'s head several times, trailing its feather along the dozing face until Draco woke with a loud sneeze.

\"Bloody hell, Father, what\'ve you two done now?\" He demanded as he quickly took refuge behind his lounger.

Lucius could do little but watched the scene unfold in morbid fascination. Ofttimes he had been the unwilling witness to Lord Voldemort\'s eratic bursts of spontaneous magic, unablee to do anything more than pray for his own continued existance. To see such a displayy from young Potter was both terrifying and encouraging.

The Head of Slytherin House held a similar opinion to his long-time friend -- at the very least, they would have Harry\'s raw power (if not skill) to combat his unwanted master. Still, Severus had no idea how to difuse the situation without incurring bodily injury.

Draco watched his father and favorite teacher waffle between awe and panic. If he were more alert, he would most probably have enjoyed the situation more; however, the Slytherin Prince figured, quite logically, that he was the only one present to have ever witnessed such a display... making him the best choice to call his rival back to himself. He sighed with not a little drama.

\"Oi, Potter. Reign it in or use it.\"

Such simple words, spoken in the much hated, snobbish voice, broke through Harry\'s internal loop of anger. In a flash of killer green eyes, the Gryyffindor took a deep breath, visibly pulling in tendrils of wild magic. His body still vibrated with barely supressed rage, but his audience was relieved when floating and/or rotating objects resumed their previous positions.

In a deceptively soft tone, the Boy Who Lived addressed the room in general, \"Y\'know... everyone has a trigger or two. Just things that are guaranteed to set them off.\" His breath was short and shallow, breaking his thoughts into brief sentences that were more easily controlled. \"Call me tetchy, but I really, *really* hate having people talk over my head. Or discuss me without giving me the Simple. Fucking. Courtesy. of defending myself. So if you please, Sev, Luc, could you possibly refrain from treating me like some inanimate object. Or worse, like a servant who isn\'t worthy of anything more than disdain or contempt, hmm?\"

Taking one more deep breath, Harry drew the last of his subconscious magic back into himself. The entire room seemed to contract with the effort, walls and bookcases boring towards the slight body still trembling with barely contained rage. As Harry slowly released his lungs, the fixtures subtly shifted back to their respective places. His eyes remained closed until, with a flick of his fingers, a cup of hot chocolate appeared in his hand. Slits of green watched the steam swirl above the soothing milky brown beverage, with Harry using the scent as a soporific more than refreshment.

\"I do hope you gentlemen will excuse my manners. At present, I doubt if I could conjure anything... unpolluted to offer you.\" He took a deep swallow, carefullyy licking his lips. \"Now, unless you have immediate need of my services, I\'m going to go take a bath.\"

So saying, the young wizard glided into the hall, quietly closing the door behind him. Not a sound could be heard from the other rooms as the door closed, yet the trio of Slytherins kept their places in silence for several strained minutes after Harry\'s departure. At last, Draco broke the uneasy quiet with an undignified snort.

\"Well, whatever you two did sure set him off. You should be grateful he\'s learned a bit of control recently, otherwise we\'d be praying for the emergency ward at St. Mungo\'s right about now.\" Raising his wand, the youg blond summoned a cup of tea for himself, and a bottle of brandy for the two elder wizards. \"Dose yourselves with a glass, then figure out a way to rectify this mess. Sweet Salazard\'s skirts, he\'s been here less than a full day, and you\'ve already managed to piss off the Boy Who Lived this far? Give it another week and we won\'t have to worry about old Snake Eyes catching us, eh?\"

As a rule, Lucius would nevere allow his only heir to scold him in any way. He very privately acknowledged that, just once, just maybe, he and Severus might deserve to be dressed down. A bit. His silver eyes darted over to his old friend for a second opinion, but the dark wizard refused to meet his gaze.

\"Luc, let us begin using words, aloud, shall we? I am somewhat embarassed to admit it, but Potter makes a valid point. Regardless of our long-standing habits, such communication must be viewed as the height of rudeness to those parties unfamiliar with ourselves.\" Severus drained his glass of brandy in one long swallow, never allowing eye contact with either blond. \"Merlin\'s blistered bollocks! Have you ever seen... no... FELT such a display? And he harmed no one and nothing before calling it all back in...\"

Two sets of remarkably similar grey eyes rolled in tandem at the Potions Master\'s words. As if he\'d seen the expressions of disrespect, Severus flicked two specific fingers over his shoulder.

\"Of course, we knew the prophecy had named Potter. But even after six years of teaching the boy, and all those infernal private lessons, I had never seen such tangible evidence of his sheer raw power.\" Finally looking up from his aggitated rant, Snape glared at each Malfoy in turn. \"And neither of you can honestly tell me you weren\'t impressed, intimidated by that display. So do try not to strain yourselves by acting so blase.\"

Lucius sniffed in response, while his son emitted a less dignified snort. \"Well, you two work out how you\'re going to kiss his Gryffindor arse. I think I shall prepare a plateful of sandwiches and await our tempermental Gryffie in the bedroom. Do try to have your heads removed from your posteriors before your next confrontation with Potter. Personally, I would like to continue living for the indefinite future.\"