Panthera

Chapter Three

Harry found himself being brought back to the land of the living much sooner then he wanted. Flicking his eyes open long enough to figure out why he was bouncing he groaned at the sight of a much to happy House Elf.

"Go 'way Dobby." He grumbled as he attempted to burrow under his pillow.

"Master Harry Potter Sir, you's must be waking up now. Professor Snape said that I's was to tell you that Ginger, Wheezy, and Dumblydore are coming for breakfast soon."

"How soon? Who's idea? Where?" came the muffled questions from under the pillow.

"Half an hour, Dumblydore's, and you's and Professor Snape's kitchen." Dobby answered in the same way, before stepping off the bed. He knew if most other's did not that Harry was not a morning person.

There was silence for a few minutes before what Dobby said sunk in. Sitting straight up he stared wild eyed at Dobby as he exclaimed, "How in Merlin's name did we end up sharing a kitchen?!"

"I's not to be knowing Master Harry Potter Sir. Perhaps Professor Snape knows."

"Alright, I'm up. Let him know I'll be there in a few minutes."

"Yes Master Harry Potter Sir. I's will be having your tea ready when yous come out."

"Thank you Dobby."

"You's is very welcome Master Harry Potter Sir."

After Dobby left, Harry sunk back into his pillows, as his mind slowly started to pick out details of his new room. Above him the canopy of his large four poster bed, was a beautiful deep emerald green, the heavy outer curtains where pulled back and held in place with a rich blood red silk ties, that matched the gauzy inner curtains and sheets. the comforter was done in black and embroidered with Devil's Snare, also done in the red and green.

Sitting up Harry looked around in awe. The room reflected both his Gryffindor and Slytherin sides perfectly, but in darker shades. Getting up he padded across the thick black carpet, that was also swirled in red and green with silver phoenixes and golden snakes just visible enough to make out, over to an enchanted window with emerald and red curtains, that looked over parts of the Lake and Forbidden Forest.

Checking his watch Harry cursed when he saw the time. The others would be here soon. Striding through the open bath room door, he realized that the color scheme continued here, with black marble, sink, tub and shower stall, with white walls and emerald green and blood red accents. After a quick shower he headed back into his room and pulled on his school uniform, before following his nose to the mug of tea he knew would be waiting for him.

Knowing that he really wouldn't manage to speak politely, before he had his first cup of tea, Harry just nodded his head in greeting before homing in on the mug sitting on the counter. Breathing in the steam curling up from his mug, he gave a small sigh of satisfaction before taking his first sip, which was quickly followed by the rest of the mug full. Refilling his mug he took a spot at the table across from Snape and waited for the tea to do it's work. When he finally felt he could talk without saying anything rude, he looked up to meet the eyes he could feel watching him.

"Morning Sir."

"Good morning Mr. Potter. Am I to take it that you are not a morning person?"

"Not really Sir, this morning was worse then normal though." Harry replied before draining his mug once more. Before he could get up for the tea pot, he found it hovering above his mug, as he moved his hands away, it filled his mug before refilling Snape's.

"Thank you Sir."

"Your welcome. Are you awake enough to answer a few questions?"

"As long as you don't expect answers that require long words or fancy explanations I should be fine."

"I don't expect those from you at the best of times." Came the dry response "As long as you use more then one word answers I think I can handle it though."

"Would you settle for two word answers Sir?" Harry asked with a smile, and to his delight (and shock) managed to pull a small, very small, smile from the man across from him.

"Do you remember what I said about the castle changing rooms around to suit our needs?"

Harry couldn't help himself, at least it wouldn't be a one word answer. "Yes sir."

Snape blinked at Harry for a moment before giving the boy a mock scowl. "Mr. Potter ..." he started before he was cut off.

"I'm sorry sir, but you must admit that it was a perfectly appropriate response. I do remember what you said last night, and from what Dobby said this morning I gather that the castle decided that we needed to share a kitchen. Are there any other rooms that we will be sharing?"

"From what I have noticed so far, at least two others. You can imagine my surprise when I walked into my personal lab this morning, to find it had been enlarged and rearranged. followed close behind by my surprise at finding a small library where my study once was."

Harry dropped his head to the table. Oh yes, he could imagine the surprises at having to share lab space with Harry 'Bloody' Potter. "I'm sorry Sir." he muttered.

"Whatever for? From what I noticed your lab space was set up nearly as well as mine. I noticed your supply list and that it's self updating. How much work do you think it will take to combine our ingredients?" he asked before noticing the shocked look on the boys face. With a small smirk he continued. "Tell me Mr. Potter, how much of your work outside of your own rooms is an act? Don't bother lying to me, I saw both copies of your Potions essay, that I assigned for homework over the holidays."

Harry stared blankly at Snape for a moment before giving he head a shake. "Most if not all of my work outside of my rooms is an act. After the other students leave for the holidays I"ll explain it to you if you wish. Until then please leave it alone. The only other person who has any idea is the Headmaster."

"I will expect a full explanation before the end of this day Mr. Potter."

Harry gave a small sigh of relief before nodding his head in agreement. "Thank you Sir."

A soft knock sounded throughout the room and Harry looked up in surprise, "Your door or mine Sir?" he asked.

"Mine, I don't think the Headmaster knows about our new living arrangements yet."

"This should all go over well then. Would you like me to call Dobby for our breakfast?"

"Please do." Snape called over his shoulder as he walked to the door.

"Dobby?"

"Yes Master Harry Potter Sir."

"Can you please bring breakfast for the five of us."

"Right away Master Harry Potter Sir." and with a small pop, he was gone, just as Snape walked in with the others.

Harry had just enough time to put his tea down, and step away from the table, before Hermione pounced on him.

"Harry! Where have you been? Why didn't you come back to The Tower, and why is your trunk gone?" she started before Ron cut her off.

"Mione, we discussed giving Harry his space already, and if you don't let go and give him that space he's going to stop breathing." Ron exclaimed.

Hermione flushed with embarrassment as she let go of Harry "Sorry Harry, but we were worried about you."

"S'alright 'Mione, but I'm fine. Nothings wrong." Harry said just as Dobby showed up with breakfast.

Just as Snape was about to correct Harry's statement about nothing being wrong, Dobby freezed Harry with a glare and did it for him.

"Master Harry Potter Sir should not be lying to his Wheezy and Ginger! You's is not fine, and there is something wrong." He said before disappearing again.

Ron and Hermione both fixed Harry with matching glares and stood waiting for an answer.

Harry groaned before giving the two of them a pleading look. "I am fine. No new damage. I slept well last night, although I'm awake way to early, and the latest problem has already been solved to a certain degree. I know you want details but I've only had 3 cups of tea and I'm hungry." he told them.

Ron nodded as he gave the Potions Master a wary look before sitting down at the table as far away from the man as he could get. Hermione huffed and settled into the chair next to him, right where Harry had been sitting, and waited to see what Harry would do about it. Shrugging his shoulders he grabbed his mug before sitting next to Snape.

Dumbledore sat on the other side of Snape and gave the two of them a small, but bright smile. " I see the two of you managed to settle your differences last night."

"Hardly Albus." Snape sneered, "we came to a mutual understanding, he stays out of my way, and I don't hex him."

"Do you agree with this Harry?" Dumbledore asked.

Holding back a smirk of his own he nodded his head. "Of course sir. The only reason we are able to sit in the same room together without cursing each other is because you are here. Add that to the fact that it was you who locked the two of us in here together, gave us no choice but to make that agreement." Harry told him with a look of disgust, even as he poured another cup of tea for himself and Snape before looking around to see if anyone else needed more.

Hermione had been sitting quietly through all of this, and had been attempting to put together the small facts that she had learned since she first walked into the room. The main thing that she was having trouble lining up the facts with was this truce, and figured that she had better get a little more information on how Harry was really feeling. "I don't know Harry, none of what you said is really adding up with your body language. You're being awfully friendly."

Before Harry even had a chance to think about what to reply with, Ron beat him to it. "No he's not Hermione, I've seen him do this before, it's called 'pretending to be be polite.' He does it when he's not awake enough to full out lie about what he's trying to hide, or when he's really uncomfortable around someone."

Harry raised a mocking eyebrow at his best friend, "Well thank you very much Ronald." he said with heavy sarcasm.

Ron meet Harry's eyes before giving him a small shrug, "Not a problem mate, I'm just surprised that she hasn't figured it out before ."

"I have been extremely careful to keep that little fact away from our favorite Witch Ron. That she knows now is really no big deal. But did you really have to say anything in front of our Professors?!"

It was Snape who answered Harry this time, his eye's glittering with sardonic humor, "Oh don't worry Mr. Potter, I'm finding this whole conversation fascinating, I'm just wondering what else I can learn about you from all of this?"

"I'm sure you are Sir." Harry said with a resigned sigh, while throwing a disgusted look at Ron, who gave him a sheepish smile in return.

Hermione looked from Harry to Ron, and then back to Harry, before twisting her face into a scowl of concentration, as she pieced together everything that Ron had said that related to the way Harry acted, while eating automatically with a very much distracted manner.

Harry bit back a groan of dismay, even as he filled his own plate, "Great you Git, she's treating this like one of those logic puzzles that she loves so much."

"Honestly mate, I really don't know why you hate word puzzles so much, even I like them."

Snape sat watching the three friends interact with each other, and couldn't believe that after the first few minutes in the kitchen, nothing more had been said about last night. Allowing his curiosity to gain the better of him, he broke into the conversation, although not in a kind way.

"If I may interrupt this lovely chatter, but would one of you be kind enough to bring the topic back to the reason WHY you have all invaded MY kitchen." He sneered.

Both Ron and Hermione looked up from their plates as Harry put his fork down and leaned back in his chair. Glancing at each other they held a silent debate before looking up at Snape. "No" they both said at the same time, before Hermione transferred her gaze to Harry. "Eat Harry, you're still much to thin." Before she went back to her own meal.

Even Dumbledore was surprised at this answer as he watched Harry shrug his shoulders and started to eat again. "May I ask why not?" he said puzzled.

The two of them both glared at Harry as he made to put his fork down again. "Don't you dare Harry!" Ron growled. "You eat, we'll explain." And watched as Harry shrugged his shoulders before motioning them to continue on, as he ate.

Hermione sighed softly before she started to explaining. "Over the past few years, Ron and I came to a conclusion. Depending on what we are talking about, depends on how much Harry eats. so we set down a few rules for meal times, that we all follow. And I'm not talking about just us, everyone who eats near us, also follows the same rules."

"And what precisely are these rules?" Snape asked.

"Harry's not allowed to do any magic at the table, he has a habit of over powering his spells in the morning. Hermione is not allowed a book or to talk about school work. I'm not allowed to bring up quidditch or to start anything related to the Slytherin's. We all don't talk about anything related to Voldemort, Death Eaters or near death experiences." Ron explained calmly.

"You forgot something." Harry pointed out.

"You're still eating Mate. Even I know better to bring that subject up." Ron said with a pointed glare.

Harry shrugged his shoulders in response, just as he noticed from the corner of his eye, Snape breaking open the yolk on his eggs. Feeling his stomach turning, he pushed his plate back and moved away from the table to lean against the counter. "To late Ron. I'm done now."

Ron glanced at Snape's plate and nodded his head in understanding. "Go get cleaned up Harry. I'll explain this one also, no need for you to get sick."

"Thanks Mate." Harry called over his shoulder as he quickly disappeared through he doorway to Snape's living room.

"What was that all about?" Hermione asked.

Ron sighed and looked down at his own plate before shoving it aside. "Harry didn't tell me the whole story, just enough for me to understand and draw my own conclusions. Sometime near the beginning of summer, Harry's cousin decided to try to make his own breakfast. By the time he was done in the kitchen, there was half cooked runny eggs all over the place. As usual he blamed everything on Harry, and his aunt and uncle made him clean it up. Really nothing new there. Unfortunately his aunt decided it was a just punishment to make him eat the mess as well, especially since it would be a terrible thing to waste all that food. Harry hasn't been able to be around anything resembling half cooked eggs again, including the egg yolks."

Hermione looked down at her own plate with disgust before she pushed it away from her, and watched as the two older wizards did the same thing.

Snape gave his want a faint flick and everything but the tea service disappeared. Looking up to meet first Dumbledore's eyes which were no longer twinkling, before sliding around to meet Ron's, "There's more." he stated.

"Of course there's more. There always is when it comes to those ... " he started only to be cut off.

"That's enough Ronald." Harry said coldly from the entrance to the kitchen. "The rest does not matter."