That fact that he actually had his own rooms in the Castle that no one outside of himself was actually aware of proved that fact. Minerva still believed he was staying in the room Albus had assigned to him back in his second year. She didn't know the room had altered itself.
And he'd heard the rumors from Granger and crew about how Potter's room was nothing more than a prison cell by muggle standards which told him they didn't realize the room had changed either. But Severus knew better. Students, no matter who they were, didn't get staff quarters at Hogwarts. Yet Harry had one.
Staff quarters perfectly suited to his needs and decorated in colors and furnishings suited, he was certain, to Harry's own particular tastes instead of just Gryffindor colors. And that was Slytherin. Pure Slytherin.
After the Library Confrontation, Professor Snape had started reviewing what he thought he knew of the boy and had discovered that while, on the surface, his past actions and behavior had indeed been loud and abrasive enough to please any true Gryffindor, there had been an underlying current in each incident that screamed Slytherin.
The brat also studied enough to cause any true Ravenclaw to turn green with envy and retained the knowledge his studies granted him so he could turn said knowledge to his own benefit when circumstances required it. And that too was pure Slytherin.
He also studied anything and everything that caught his fancy, class related or not. Since Severus now knew for a fact Madam Pince was constantly on the lookout for new material for him in relation to esoteric subjects Severus knew for a fact no other student in the school had even heard of, it seemed to him Mr. Potter was every inch a Ravenclaw.
In fact, the only house the boy didn't seem to share the qualities of was Hufflepuff, the House of the Loyal. But then, he didn't exactly have anyone to be loyal to, now did he. They were also said to be the house of the hard worker though and he now knew for a fact Potter was a very hard worker.
What's more, he'd do the work he was told to do without complaints no matter how unfair or unjust the work detail was. And Severus knew there had been plenty of times in the past when the brat had been given detentions he hadn't truly earned just because of the antic of the Triad.
But there was no denying he set himself one of the hardest courses of self-study Severus had ever seen a student pursuing. So maybe he was a true Puff as well.
Upon reaching that conclusion Severus found himself thinking of Harry as Hogwarts Child rather than the Potter child, Gryffindor's Golden Boy, Dumbledore's Pet or any of the other unflattering names people had stuck on the brat over the years. And maybe, just maybe, that was why he had his own staff quarters rather than a regular room now. Because Hogwarts itself saw him as being her child rather than just a Gryffindor.
Because of that, he discovered he wasn't at all adverse to thinking well of the teen. For the first time since the School Board and the Ministry liaison had named him the Guardian/Protector of the brat, Severus didn't resent spending his limited free time trailing after the brat as he went from class to Great Hall or Library or back to his rooms.
It helped that the brat had a lab he could use to keep up with his brewing schedule while still keeping track of him. But he knew the biggest part of the reason he'd changed his attitude on the brat was because of what he'd witnessed in the Library. No true Gryffindor could have plotted that scene and played it out to such perfection.
The life debt issue was a non-starter as far as Snape was concerned because in his eyes he had merely been doing his duty all the times he had saved Harry from danger. Not only did he have a debt of his own to the Potter line for what James had done for him during their sixth year, but he also had a deathside promise to the memory of Lily Potter to protect her child as much as he was able.
That was in addition to his teaching contract which stated he would do whatever proved necessary to protect the children currently studying or staying at the Castle. And all this was apart from his obligations as his Guardian/Protector. So he knew the child didn't owe him a life debt at all.
Nor did Potter owe one to Albus regardless of how many times the old man had tried to claim one. For the same reason. Headmaster or not, Albus was an adult under contract with Hogwarts. It was his duty to save the students should they find themselves in peril. Not that Albus had ever tried to save one of the school's students from whatever peril was stalking the halls. In fact, Albus was usually the method by which the danger had been allowed through the doors.
Regardless, because of the contract all the staff had signed before assuming their positions here, no life debt could be owed from student to any of the Hogwarts staff on the basis of a danger to life and limb brought into the school or on the school grounds. Even Slytherin Monster had been danger brought onto the grounds and within the Castle as Salazar Slytherin himself had brought the Basilisk to the Castle.
And Albus' reaction to that event was rather telling in and of itself. When Ms. Weasely had disappeared into the Chamber and the note on the wall was discovered, the only thing Albus had done was call her parents to the school and inform them of their daughters death.
He'd made absolutely no effort whatsoever to go to her rescue. Though clearly Fawkes could have taken him straight to her at any time. Clearly he hadn't seen the girl as worthy of rescue. Either that or he didn't want to risk himself against the monster that had been terrorizing the school that year.
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