"Are you ready?" Pomona suddenly asked.
"For what?" Severus asked, about to drink his vegetable soup.
"Next term," she said patiently.
"I'm not a novice anymore," Severus said distractedly. "I can handle those students."
"I'm not talking about them." Pomona glanced around before lowering her voice. "I mean Harry Potter."
Severus froze as if he had been Petrified.
"He'll be eleven soon. Do you want to give him a present?"
"Why should I give him a present?" the old bat asked with a frown.
"I don't know, perhaps a birthday present?" Pomona said, puzzled. "I heard Hagrid was going to give him a birthday cake."
"I imagine the great Salvator Mundi will receive plenty of presents. He hardly needs one from me," he said sourly, taking a spoonful of soup.
"I don't think so." Pomona curled her lip. "Petunia has always been jealous of Lily."
Severus continued drinking his soup.
"Though I don't want to say it, I think she's trying to find emotional balance by treating Harry unfairly," Pomona said as she chewed on a potato.
"If you don't want to say it, then don't," he replied stiffly.
That silenced her.
He had thought he could continue enjoying his dinner in peace, but she found another topic.
He looked up at the students in the hall. A few had been secretly watching him, but when his gaze swept over them, they lowered their heads and went back to dinner.
"Here." Baldwin set a plate of food before Severus. "This is what the hospital staff eat. I hope you don't mind."
"Alessandro" frowned, staring at the plate in front of Severus with obvious disgust.
It contained Provençal stew, a roasted chicken leg, hummus, sliced baguette, a small plate of avocado salad, and a serving of creamy mushroom soup, all laid