I do not own Harry Potter, the rights to it go to J.K Rowling, and Bloomsberry publishing No copyright infringements are intended
Summary: A perfect potion yields unexpected results for Harry. OOTP Timeline
If there were two things Severus Snape had learned in his years of teaching it would be as follows. Firstly. Children, no matter how old they were had an irritating way of getting on his last nerve, and secondly the one child who irritated him above all others was one Harry James Potter.
The boy had an annoyingly bad habit of showing up out of bed, much like his father, if he were to be any judge Potter was up to no good. Not to mention the way he would skulk about the corridors as if he were hiding something. No, Severus decided. He did not like in the slightest.
Scowling darkly at the students who were working on a simple calming draught, he rubbed the bridge of his nose and exhaled. A migraine was brewing in the base of his skull, and if anyone could guess why he would gladly accept a date with the Dark Lord and thoroughly enjoy a pot of tea with him. The reasoning behind it, if he were to be completely honest with himself, was the meddling old coot Albus Dumbledore.
A loud explosion, which was soon followed by billowing black smoke soon snapped him out of his thoughts. A quick glance around the room confirmed his suspicions that once again Longbottom's cauldron had exploded again for the fifth time in two weeks.
"Mr. Longbottom, did I not clearly state to stir five times clock wise then seven times counter clockwise.. Or were you not paying attention?" he demanded in a quiet voice.
If it were at all possible Neville would have gladly melted into the floor, but being as the laws of physics wouldn't allow that, he just mutely nodded his head in embarrassment.
"Clearly I wasn't speaking loud enough for you Longbottom, ten points from Gryffindor for your lack of attention." A collective groan went throughout his Gryffindor students, causing the Potions professor's scowl to deepen. Walking to the front of his class room he rounded on them. "Another ten point's for that childish outburst" He barked before his eyes settled on his next target. Walking towards Potter he paused to praise one of his Slytherins potions. " A fine specimen Draco" he acknowledged before continuing towards the unsuspecting Gryffindor .
Upon arrival to Potter's cauldron he was momentarily taken aback by the potion. It wasn't that there was anything wrong with it, to the contrary it was perfect. Clearing his throat he scowled at the boy " , you are to stay after class I would like to have a word with you."Turning on his heal his robes billowing behind him the Potions Master made his way back to his desk where he observed the class with his hawk like gaze.
" What do you reckon he's on about this time mate, I mean its not like you've stolen anything…. You haven't stolen anything have you?" Ron questioned as he wiped a bit of crushed beetles eye off the table.
" Of course Harry hasn't stolen anything, don't be an idiot Ronald, besides why would he." Hermione said quickly coming to the defense of her best friend.
" Oh yeah.. Suppose your right 'mione" Ron responded as he began to add the powdered eyes to his cauldron. " But what I don't get is how he finished before you, Harry and I are trolls at potions."
"Speak for yourself." Retorted Harry. Scowling Ron gazed up at the front of the room. "He usually calls you out in front of everyone, for him to hold you back it, hast be pretty serious.. Doesn't it?" the red head questioned as he began to stir the potion..
"I don't know why he wants to talk to me Ron." Groaned Harry. "Maybe he's going to give you detention.. But then again he always finds a reason to pick on you Ron muttered as he turned the flame down on the fire, looking into the cauldron her groaned. "Damn it's all wonky not at all the right color.. Hey Hermione, what did I do wrong." He asked as he looked over into her cauldron "Blimey even yours is the wrong color, and your better than both me and Harry combined, You must be having an off day to mess up on a potion.." He said, not noticing the angry scowl that had made its may to Hermione's lips.
"Well if your going to sit there and insult me Ronald. Then I wont bother telling you where you messed up." She snapped as she buried her nose in the potions book to hide the angry tears that were now making their way down her cheeks.
As the rest of the class period dwindled away there were two more cauldrons that exploded and one students eyebrows were even singed off. Upon standing Ron and Hermione, stared momentarily at Harry "Well, Good luck mate. Hope the old dungeon bat isn't too hard on you." Ron began only to be smacked over the head by a potions book " Ow! bloody hell Hermione what was that for?" He demanded rubbing the top of his head with a stunned look on his face.
" For you being a complete and utter prat Ronald, Professor Snape isn't going to do anything but talk to Harry, or at least he shouldn't be." Hermionie said stuffing the remainder of her books into her bag. "Granger! Weasley!, I believe I said I wanted to speak to Potter alone Twenty points for your dawdling!" Snape barked causing the trio to jump.
"Don't worry Harry we'll see you back in the common room" Hermionie said dragging a stumbling Ron behind her "Yeah see you later mate" Ron added as he was pulled clear of the door and snapping it closed behind him.
As the dust settled in the class room the potions master turned on Harry and began speaking.
"It has come to my attention Potter.." he hissed his eyes narrowing as he glanced at Harry's potion. "That you haven't been giving this class adequate attention, for example.. Would you care to explain to me as to why, for once you have produced a perfect Calming Draught?"
Harry, was momentarily speechless. Even the professor considered the potion to be perfect.
"I don't know sir" he answered, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose as he spoke " I just, followed the book is all."
"You simply followed the book did you?" Snape questioned one eyebrow arched slightly higher than the other. " Why then, are all of your other potion's if anything mediocre compared to this one?"
" I.. I don't know sir" Harry muttered hiding his eyes behind his long shaggy hair.
His hair, another trait, Severus noted he inherited from his father. Scowling he slammed his hands on the table. " Look at me when I am speaking to you Potter!" Snape all but barked, causing the teen to jump and scramble back in surprise, his emerald eyes wide in shock and even holding a slight edge of fear to them. Lily's eyes he mused.
Fear? Snape thought. Potter never showed fear. Then again Potter never showed anything other than a certain disregard for the rules.. But then again that was only when his friends were in danger.
But if Severus was to be honest with himself, he would have to admit that the boys reaction was if anything disturbing. Clearing his throat he removed his hands from the table and glowered down at the boy. Surely the boy was playing him for a fool, he couldn't really expect him to believe that the boy felt fear towards him. But then again he hadn't given Potter a reason not to fear him.
"Potter, if you were to push your self harder in my classes you just may be able to scrape by and pass your OWLS, as I said in earlier classes, I only accept students with an O grade, however if you continue your inattentiveness you may and that is a rather big may get an E. I was under the impression you wished to be an Auror… Is this not so?"
Harry blinked several times, surprised at the rapid change of questions, as well as Snape's tone of voice. "Yes sir, I do." he answered cautiously, not knowing where this answer was going to get him. He had no idea that Snape's next words would stun him even further than he already was.
" If that is truly the case, I expect to see you on Tuesday and Thursday evenings, After Christmas holiday, for remedial potions, this is from seven pm until nine pm, this arrangement in nonnegotiable if you wish to continue your studies next semester. I expect you to be on time to each lesson. If you are late you will serve an evenings detention to cover what you missed, do I make my self clear Potter?" Snape asked his tone back to its normal form.
Harry was floored, yes he knew of the remedial potions program, how ever it was mainly Slytherin's a small handful of Gryffindor's, he hadn't any idea if any one from Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff attended. " I, you want me to come to remedial potions. He asked rather lamely.
"I wouldn't have made the offer if I didn't now would I Potter?" Snape asked dryly his eyes burrowing into Harry's for a few moments in total silence, "Well potter Will you or will you not be joining the class?" He demanded coolly.
"Yes sir I will. Um sir I have five minutes to get to Divination, If that's all, may I be going?" Harry asked, not willing to be subjected to Trelawney's fawning if he were even the slightest bit late.
Snape raised an eyebrow at the mention of Divination. " You still attend that joke of a class, very well Potter off you go, and don't even think of dawdling about the corridors."
With his abrupt dismissal, Harry bolted out of the class room and straight into Ron and Hermione.
"Bloody hell Harry! What took you so long he didn't give you detention did he?" Ron asked causing Hermione to groan in exasperation as they made their way up the dungeon stairs. " Instead of bombarding him as soon as he comes out the door Ronald why don't you give Harry a chance to tell us himself." Hermione admonished .
"Later you two, I'd really rather not be late to divination." he said as they began up the great stair case.
As soon as they entered the class room Trelawney, blinked several times and began in an airy voice. " You three ought not be late, trouble is afoot and involves you ." with that said she shooed the three of them to their seats and began to speak about the moon phases and the importance they held in the art of Divination.
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