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as she？ Maybe she has got an Invisibility Cloak； maybe she sneaked onto the grounds to watch the second task。。。〃
〃And what did you say？〃 Ron repeated； pounding his pestle down so hard that it dented the desk。
〃Well； I was too busy seeing whether you and Harry were okay to…〃
〃Fascinating though your social life undoubtedly is。 Miss Granger；〃 said an icy voice right behind them； and all three of them jumped； 〃I must ask you not to discuss it in my class。 Ten points from Gryffindor。〃
Snape had glided over to their desk while they were talking。 The whole class was now looking around at them； Malfoy took the opportunity to flash POTTER STINKS across the dungeon at Harry。
〃Ah。。。 reading magazines under the table as well？〃 Snape added； snatching up the copy of Witch Weekly。 〃A further ten points from Gryffindor 。。。oh but of course 。。。〃 Snapes black eyes glittered as they fell on Rita Skeeter's article。 〃Potter has to keep up with his press cuttings。。。〃
The dungeon rang with the Slytherins' laughter； and an unpleasant smile curled Snape's thin mouth。 To Harry's fury； he began to read the article aloud。
〃'Harry Potter's Secret Heartache。。。 dear； dear。 Potter； what's ailing you now？ 'A boy like no other； perhaps。。。 '〃
Harry could feel his face burning。 Snape was pausing at the end of every sentence to allow the Slytherins a hearty laugh。 The article sounded ten times worse when read by Snape。 Even Hermione was blushing scarlet now。
〃'。。。 Harry Potter's well…wishers must hope that； next time； he bestows his heart upon a worthier candidate。 ' How very touching；〃 sneered Snape； rolling up the magazine to continued gales of laughter from the Slytherins。 〃Well； I think I had better separate the three of you； so you can keep your minds on your potions rather than on your tangled love lives。 Weasley； you stay here。 Miss Granger； over there； beside Miss Parkinson。 Potter…that table in front of my desk。 Move。 Now。〃
Furious； Harry threw his ingredients and his bag into his cauldron and dragged it up to the front of the dungeon to the empty table。 Snape followed； sat down at his desk and watched Harry unload his cauldron。 Determined not to look at Snape； Harry resumed the mashing of his scarab beetles； imagining each one to have Snape's face。
〃All this press attention seems to have inflated your already over…large head。 Potter；〃 said Snape quietly； once the rest of the class had settled down again。
Harry didn't answer。 He knew Snape was trying to provoke him； he had done this before。 No doubt he was hoping for an excuse to take a round fifty points from Gryffindor before the end of the class。
〃You might be laboring under the delusion that the entire wizarding world is impressed with you；〃 Snape went on； so quietly that no one else could hear him （Harry continued to pound his scarab beetles； even though he had already reduced them to a very fine powder）； 〃but I don't care how many times your picture appears in the papers。 To me。 Potter； you are nothing but a nasty little boy who considers rules to be beneath him。〃
Harry tipped the powdered beetles into his cauldron and started cutting up his ginger roots。 His hands were shaking slightly out of anger； but he kept his eyes down； as though he couldn't hear what Snape was saying to him。
〃So I give you fair warning； Potter；〃 Snape continued in a sorter and more dangerous voice； 〃pint…sized celebrity or not…if I catch you breaking into my office one more time…〃
〃I haven't been anywhere near your office！〃 said Harry angrily； forgetting his feigned deafness。
〃Don't lie to me；〃 Snape hissed； his fathomless black eyes boring into Harrys。 〃Boomslang skin。 Gillyweed。 Both e from my private stores； and I know who stole them。〃
Harry stared back at Snape； determined not to blink or to look guilty。 In truth； he hadn't stolen either of these things from Snape。 Hermione had taken the boomslang skin back in their second year…they had needed it for the Polyjuice Potion…and while Snape had suspected Harry at the time； he had never been able to prove it。 Dobby； of course； had stolen the gillyweed。
〃I don't know what you're talking about；〃 Harry lied coldly。
〃You were out of bed on the night my office was broken into！〃 Snape hissed。 〃I know it。 Potter！ Now； Mad…Eye Moody might have joined your fan club； but I will not tolerate your behavior！ One more nighttime stroll into my office； Potter； and you will pay！〃
〃Right；〃 said Harry coolly； turning back to his ginger roots。 〃I'll bear that in mind if I ever get the urge to go in there。〃
Snape's eyes flashed。 He plunged a hand into the inside of his black robes。 For one wild moment。 Harry thought Snape was about to pull out his wand and curse him…then he saw that Snape had drawn out a small crystal bottle of a pletely clear potion。 Harry stared at it。
〃Do you know what this is。 Potter？〃 Snape said； his eyes glittering dangerously again。
〃No；〃 said Harry； with plete honesty this time。
〃It is Veritaserum…a Truth Potion so powerful that three drops would have you spilling your innermost secrets for this entire class to hear；〃 said Snape viciously。 〃Now； the use of this potion is controlled by very strict Ministry guidelines。 But unless you watch your step； you might just find that my hand slips〃…he shook the crystal bottle slightly…〃right over your evening pumpkin juice。 And then。 Potter。。。 then we'll find out whether you've been in my office or not。〃
Harry said nothing。 He turned back to his ginger roots once more； picked up his knife； and started slicing them again。 He didn't like the sound of that Truth Potion at all； nor would he put it past Snape to slip him some。 He repressed a shudder at the thought of what might e spilling out of his mouth if Snape did it。。。 quite apart from landing a whole lot of people in trouble…Hermione and Dobby for a start…there were all the other things he was concealing。。。 like the fact that he was in contact with Sirius。。。 and…his insides squirmed at the thought…how he felt about Cho。。。 He tipped his ginger roots into the cauldron too； and wondered whether he ought to take a leaf out of Moody s book and start drinking only from a private hip flask。
There was a knock on the dungeon door。
〃Enter；〃 said Snape in his usual voice。
The class looked around as the door opened。 Professor Karkaroff came in。 Everyone watched him as he walked up toward Snape's desk。 He was twisting his finger around his goatee and looking agitated。
〃We need to talk；〃 said Karkaroff abruptly when he had reached Snape。 He seemed so determined that nobody should hear what he was saying that he was barely opening his lips； it was as though he were a rather poor ventriloquist。 Harry kept his eyes on his ginger roots； listening hard。
〃I'll talk to you after my lesson； Karkaroff；〃 Snape muttered； but Karkaroff interrupted him。
〃I want to talk now； while you can't slip off； Severus。 You've been avoiding me。〃
〃After the lesson；〃 Snape snapped。
Under the pretext of holding up a measuring cup to see if he'd poured out enough armadillo bile； Harry sneaked a sidelong glance at the pair of them。 Karkaroff looked extremely worried； and Snape looked angry。