InsaneJournal

"Try it. The incantation is 'Cutis Sedis,'—if done properly, it will remove the hair and smooth your skin as well."

Harry stopped staring at Snape, half bewildered, half overwhelmed, and turned to face the mirror. Like Snape had done, he leaned in to examine the growth of hair on his face. His moustache resembled not much more than an ink smudge, though it was definitely coming in as dark as his hair. There were a few straggly hairs on his chin and a very fine line on the edge of his jawbone. He straightened and took out his wand, catching Snape's eyes in the mirror as he started to lift it to his lip.

"What was that incantation again?" he asked. "I wouldn't want to mess this up and remove my lip or anything." The real problem, of course, was that his hands were shaking too hard to hold his wand steady. He wasn't supposed to have moments like this, least of all with Snape. He'd learned to ride a bike on his own when he was seven, salvaging one of Dudley's cast-offs and pushing it over to Wisteria Drive so the Dursleys didn't see him scraping up his knees and ruining Dudley's good cast-off jeans. He'd played football in the school yard, surprisingly agile and quick on his feet, but the older boys had been the ones to teach him. Madam Hooch had taught him to ride a broom and the Weasleys had taken him to his first professional Quidditch game. He should be learning to shave by himself, or picking it up from one of the other Gryffindor boys (Dean had been shaving since fourth year, after all). That's how his life went. That's how it worked. He didn't have moments like this, moments typically reserved for fathers and sons.

Snape, however, seemed to understand. Levity was needed. "Try not to make the spell too powerful," he said, his usual sarcasm as present as always. "The Slytherin dorm is rather close and the residual magic might affect Miss Bulstrode's facial hair when she arrives."

"Git," muttered Harry, smiling lopsidedly as he raised his wand and tried the charm for the first time. He rubbed his finger over his upper lip to test the result.

"Not bad for a beginner," he said. He looked down into the sink, noting the light stubble that dotted the white porcelain. It reminded him for a moment of Saturday mornings at the Dursleys when he'd had to clean Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia's bathroom. He'd hated cleaning the sink with Uncle Vernon's beard stubble in it. He shook the thought away, picturing instead Aunt Petunia shaving her chin and hiding the razor away so no one would suspect.

"Another game of chess?" asked Harry to Snape, still looking at him in the mirror. "I suspect I'll play better now that I've improved my rakish good looks."

"Prepare to lose, Mr. Depp," said Snape. He stood to the side so Harry could exit the bathroom first. As Harry walked past him, Snape reached out his hand and moved his thumb over Harry's upper lip. Harry froze at the gentle touch, wanting to run from it and lean into it at the same time.

"Not bad at all for a beginner," said Snape. "But then again, you're hardly a beginner when it comes to growing up."

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