Dear Mr. Potter

Chapter Fifty-One

"What have you been doing?"

Harry awoke to the snarled question and his cocoon being ripped away from him. Harry scrambled to hold onto it and was forced into a sitting position, facing an obviously unhappy potions master.

Snape looked about the room and then sniffed disdainfully at the blanket in his fist. Black eyes looked up and pierced a still sleep befuddled Harry.

"Where did you get this, Potter?"

Harry scowled. "Well, I didn't steal it!"

"Oh, and somehow you acquired the taste and immediate funds and the ability to make a trip to Diagon Alley for this little purchase?"

"No, it was a gift!"

Snape's brow rose as he clearly disbelieved him. "A gift? And whom, pray tell, gifted you with this?"

Harry stumbled for a moment. "I'm not sure."

"Mm hmm," Snape murmured through pursed lips. "Something recalls to mind that this blanket looks amazingly like a certain blanket on Mr. Malfoy's bed." Snape began tugging on it and Harry was rolled off and onto his original covers. "This will be returned. And you will then open your trunk and show me the other hiding places you have."

Harry desperately held onto the corner of velvet he was able to grasp. "No! This is mine! I haven't stolen it or anything else!" He yanked hard and soon Professor and student were in a tug of war.

"Children, children, must we fight over our toys?" came a silky drawl. Harry looked up from his exertions and saw Logan take up his usual lounging stance in the doorway. "Severus, if you wish to play, I would be happy to accommodate you."

"Go away, Logan. This does not concern you," Snape said as he viscously ripped the material out of Harry's hands. Harry clambered off the bed after Snape as he disappeared out into the main room. Harry didn't even pause when he saw Lydia watching in bemusement from an overstuffed armchair. He lunged at Snape again and grabbed hold of his gift but was quickly pushed away and fell onto the sofa. Harry stood up and yelled.

"It's mine! You have no right to take it from me!" Harry fought back the tears that had sprung to his eyes.

"My goodness, such a commotion," Lydia said. "Why are you stripping the boy's bed, Severus? Surely he would have made it if you asked?" Logan chuckled from where he was still lounging in the doorway.

"The boy has obviously stolen this."

"I haven't! It was a gift!" Harry insisted, pleading his case to the woman. "It was just given to me yesterday!"

"Yes, but you are unsure by whom," Snape snapped.

"A secret admirer, perhaps," Logan drawled.

"Or, perhaps, not so secret and that is what has Severus so displeased," Lydia commented.

"Again, I say this has nothing to do with either of you," Snape seethed. "The blanket will be returned and that is the end of it."

"No, it's not!" Harry yelled, coming up to face Snape. "You are the one who is stealing! Give it back!"

"Perhaps," Lydia said as Snape appeared about to respond to the accusation, "you could tell us if you have any proof that it was a gift."

Harry glared into Snape's face and spoke in a nasty voice. "Of course. First, Ron was there when I got it. Second, Blaise Zabini gave it to me for somebody else and third, I still have the box it came in!"

"Oh dear, does appear he has you, Sev," Logan drawled. "But as he is half naked, I'd say that he was attempting perverted things and he should still have the item taken away from him!" The man smirked at Harry's glare.