Hermione said you've been avoiding him," Ron said after a moment.
Harry shrugged, though he knew it was true.
"Maybe you should talk to Dumbledore?" his friend suggested.
"And say what?" Harry snorted, almost bitterly, as he looked through the table of contents in the book. "A house elf popped up in the infirmary and said some pretty cryptic things and now my friends think Snape might be the heir of Slytherin?"
"You must think it might be true too, Harry. 'Else you wouldn't be avoiding him," Ron pointed out.
Instead of responding, Harry gave a frustrated sigh and tossed the book on the pile.
"Take it there's nothing in that one then?" Ron guessed.
"Not unless we think the heir of Slytherin is keeping a unicorn or a hippogriff in the chamber," he shook his head. "Where's Hermione when we need her?"
"I asked her to come, but she said she wanted to stay in the tower and study for the History of Magic test," Ron told him.
"Again? She's been studying for that nonstop," Harry frowned. "I've barely seen her this week!"
"You know how she gets," he said, pulling a face and making a 'cuckoo' noise.
Despite himself, Harry laughed – perhaps for the first time in a while.
Just then, somebody cleared their throat, and both boys quietened, seeing that Snape had appeared at the library door, closing it silently behind him.
A pause followed.
"I must confess," Snape began, steadily. "That this is the last place I expected to find the two of you."
Harry gathered up the books from the desk, piling them onto an enchanted book cart that just happened to be rolling by, and Ron threw him a nervous glance, standing up.
"Sudden urge to study?" the potions master drawled, sardonically.
"H-history of Magic test next week, sir," Ron muttered.
"Indeed? If that is so, I hardly think that 'Hooves, Wings and the Weird' is going to be of any help," Snape said, maintaining eye contact with Harry.
Harry swallowed hard, returning to the desk.