Summary: Someone has an unexpected, unusual reaction to a pain-reducing potion, making them more likely to tell the truth.

Summary: After that disastrous first Potions lesson, Harry decides to prove himself to Snape, reading up on the knowledge he missed, doing his homework to the best of his ability, always coming well-prepared and so on. Snape doesn't want to believe it at first, but then is gradually convinced that it's all Harry's work, and decides to mentor him further, and coming to see Harry as he is. I'd love for it to feature an apprenticeship setting building over the course of the story, esp with Harry not having to return to the Dursleys. And if I may copy Kate's stipulation: should not have Draco as main character

Summary: Snape or Harry (any age from 11 on) pawns something in Diagon Alley, and the other buys it, not realizing at first who the previous owner was. Who pawns what, why, and how does the purchaser react upon learning the original owner's identity? Does the buyer attempt to communicate with the seller about the item?

Summary: I love the couple of Harry & Hermione as much as Snape as Harry's mentor/father figure. Let's have a crossover between the pairings. In it, Hermione must help Harry develop his relationship with Snape by either talking over his feelings, &/or actively helping them work together. She may yell (scold) at Snape if you would like. Whatever you choose, both Harry and Snape must acknowledge, if only in thought, that Hermione has been a big help in developing their relationship. On the other side of things, Snape must help Harry realize how much Hermione means to him and actively encourage him to ask her out/kiss her (whatever). Possibly through a great discussion on how Hermione reminds him of Harry's mother, and he should snap her up before someone else does from under him. The summer before 4th and into 4th year seems like good timing. That's about when Harry started to recognize the other sex. Also, there is a good opportunity summer before 4th year for Hermione to ponder about the interactions that Snape and Sirius had at the end of 3rd year while she is calm. She can realize that Snape must know a lot more and be much more emotionally involved in Harry's parents then they realized. She could then discuss it with Harry and encourage him to "be a Gryffindor" and follow up that area of inquiry. As part of the story, you are welcome to have Hermione convince Harry to change one or all of his electives (or add something) to get him away from Ron some of the time so they have more natural one-on-one interactions. A discussion between the two of them where Hermione encourages Harry to seek out Snape wouldn't go well with Ron in the mix. So the discussion will be between them from the beginning, and move them further away from Ron when Ron doesn't believe Harry about the goblet. Also, adding a more challenging class and dropping, say divination, could bring him to Snape's attention as well. Maybe he looks at Hermione's Runes and/or Arithmancy books while at the Burrow and realizes that they aren't as hard as he thought and asks Hermione about what she thinks about him picking up one or both. Would finding out how smart his parents/parents friends (ex: map and Animagus) were make a difference? Feel free to make the stay at the Burrow longer in the book, if needed. The relationships of both develop and deepen over the year. Maybe to the point where Snape will not be able to spy any more?? Does Voldemort even get resurrected or does the magic synergy of Hermione and Snape being closer to Harry thwart this years attempt?

Summary: Harry has some special ability due to him being a parselmouth.

E.g. maybe there are spells or potions only a parselmouth can create/use or maybe there's a bit of a wizards magic that he can't ever use for whatever reason but parselmouths can use it