Severus followed him out, ready to grab him if the boy made a break for it, and they made their way to Pomfrey's domain.
Taking the lead, Harry stalked toward the Infirmary, knowing he was in a world of trouble and wishing he had the courage to just make a break for it. In truth, the only thing that kept him from doing so was the knowledge that he'd probably be expelled and then have to go back to the Dursleys.
What the hell was Snape's problem anyway? Harry hadn't done anything to him - didn't even have him in class for another day or two - and yet, the professor seemed to really hate him and want to make his life miserable. Harry had hoped that being in the magical world would be better than with the Dursleys, but so far, he'd been very disappointed by Hogwarts. It was too much like Little Whinging, where everyone seemed to dislike him for no reason or, like his relatives, just out and out despised him.
And now he was being shuffled of to see the school nurse, and he'd have to lie to her in order to keep his secrets. The last thing he was ever going to do was spill his guts in front of Snape!
Too soon they were there, and Snape brushed past him to push at the door, which he then held open for Harry to walk through. Not really sure what to expect - a favorite game of Dudley's had been to do this very thing, and then cuff Harry about the head as he went by - Harry ducked a little as he entered the long room. Snape frowned at him, though, and Harry moved a little faster, to get out of his way.
Madam Pomfrey was walking toward them, before they'd gotten a pace or two inside her realm. "Ah, good, Mr. Potter. I'm glad you decided to return so promptly."
Since Harry had decided no such thing, he said nothing, just shrugged a little.
"Well, let's have you behind the curtain, then," she said, and gestured to a movable curtain closing off a bed in the corner near her office. "Strip down to pants if you will."
Harry shook his head. This was going too far. "I'm fine, Madam Pomfrey. I don't need any work ups or whatever."
"I disagree, Mr. Potter, and your Head of House had given permission for the exam. Now, behind the curtain with you."
His Head of House . . . Harry glared at Snape again, angry and embarrassed and not in the mood for more humiliation. "You can't do this, sir. You've no business giving anyone permission about me."
Snape sneered at him and leaned in close, so Harry could feel his breath on his face. Oddly, it smelt of peppermint; he'd been expecting old socks. "I have a duty to all the students in my care, Potter, to make sure they are of sound mind and body. You are malnourished and underweight, and it is my job to make sure there's nothing else amiss with a physical exam."
Shaking his head again, Harry backed away from him. "I'm not stripping down for anyone!"
"I assure you, Mr. Potter, you haven't got anything I haven't seen before," said the medi-witch. She cut him off as he scrambled for safety, and maneuvered him toward the curtained area.
"And I assure you that we will all remain here in this infirmary, until you submit to the exam," Snape put in. "I would like to remind you that I have far better ways I could spend my time. Do not force me to show you the error of holding us here overlong."
Harry set his jaw. "It won't do any good you know. You'll just get in trouble."
"Whatever are you talking about?" Madam Pomfrey asked.
"If you tell. No one will care, so it's only going to get you in trouble. Just let me go back to my dorm, and we'll forget this ever happened, all right?"
A dark chuckle from Snape made Harry gape at him. "Don't think you can charm your way out of this one, Potter. Get behind the curtain. Now!"
Well, fine. He'd warned them. Now it was their lookout, and no concern of his anymore. At least, not until summer and he had to go back to the Dursleys. Anger tightened his steps as he went behind the curtain, and made it hard for him to undo the buttons on his robes, and his shirt. He was working on removing his trainers when Madam Pomfrey's voice came to him from rather nearby.