Now this was a really nice bit of USTwangst. I really enjoyed Severus' obsession, and Harry's baffled response to it. I also liked that Harry, once he'd realized what he wanted, was more than ready to beard the snake in its den -- yeah, I know I just brutalized that axiom, I'm ded frum pr0n, cope!
And I quite like Dumbly's sanguine acceptance of what's going on. I think, if anyone would understand that the pressures on Harry call for altered expectations, it would be him. And yeah, I could see him allowing something like this after Harry had faced death in the Little Hagleton graveyard.