One-shot Story

Teach Me

Late at night, Harry heard indistinct voices in his dormitory and he felt a stab of hurt in his scar. Harry then realized and immediately alerted at once. Groggily, still alert, he curiously, he got out of his bed, putting on his glasses. Who would be talking so loud at night from seemingly far away? As Harry walked closer to the voices, they grew louder and louder by each feet he took. When he made his way down the stairs and into the common room. The voices were now clear but loud.

"You keep quiet! We mustn't wake anyone up!" hissed someone and heard a voice replying.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to – "

"You shall be glad I don't put on Cruciatus curse on you right now! Now, go find Potter," said the voice. Harry could recognize it anywhere, it was cold, high pitch and it was here at Hogwarts. In the common room of all places, Harry hid himself behind a couch, thinking fast.

'Voldemort's here! In this common room, bloody hell, what do I do?' Then he heard a squeaking voice and recognized that as what Ron's old pet used to do. Scabbers had meant Animagus, which also means, Wormtail. He looked around frantically for the rat and found him under the couch who was going back to its human form. At this moment, he wished he knew how to keep the Animagus person stay in their animal form and growled.

He attacked Wormtail when he was halfway through his transformation and began choking him. 'This is for betraying my parents!' thought Harry angrily. He had been waiting for this moment, to take revenge. He shook the pathetic throat roughly, causing Peter to breathe in short gasping breaths. Then Harry punched his face, Crack 'And that is for Sirius. Wrongly imprisoned too!'

"REPELLO!" yelled a hex, and sent Harry off Pettigrew and rammed into the wall with his face. He slid down, groaning in pain. "Well, you were with us after all Harry Potter," hissed Voldemort. Harry's back was towards Voldemort so he couldn't see his face. He, wincing, turned around and faced him. "Potter, I have an offer made for you."

"Whatever it is, I don't want it!" spat Harry.

"I'll tell you Potter," ridiculed Voldemort. "Either you die or I can teach you some Dark Arts," he said, grinning.

Harry stared at him, 'He's gone mad. He would never teach anyone of Dark Arts except for his followers.'

"What are you getting at?" challenged Harry.

"Just exactly that Potter," said Voldemort. "All I want is to teach you some interesting . . . Dark Arts."

"I'm sorry Voldemort, but I think I will have to deny the request and fight you," said Harry. There was no way that Voldemort was in his right mind on about teaching his archenemy, Harry, of all people, some Dark Arts.

"Then death will be yours! Crucio!" cursed Voldemort. Harry fell to the ground, yelling in pain. He wanted to just die already and be over with this. The world would have savior no more. But he knew that most of the Wizarding world had been ridiculing him lately. He figured what was the use. He arched his back, anguished by the fact that Voldemort was putting on the curse for sometime now. He wanted this to end now. Harry twisted his body and limps in the way he thought were not possible, trying to stop the pain. In the background, behind his screams, he could hear the high cold laughter. 'Where was everyone? We are making a lot of noises. . . '

The painful curse continued to torture Harry. He realized that he could feel the pain of his soul, he wanted out, but the pain was unbearable. He felt like his body was thrown against the wall a thousand times, plus being stabbed million times more. Harry felt that every single bone was being broken separately. His organs felt like ripping out, one by one. He screamed even louder, he screamed for his friends, for professors, anyone. But his tortured pleas went unheard as no one came. His vision he saw through was now colored red, he could not focus his eyes anymore and lost all details of Gryffindor common room. He only heard his cries, and Voldemort continued to laugh at the pain that he was in.

Harry's soul tried to push away the pain, he tried to focus for the time when there would be no more pain. Was Voldemort going to torture him to the state of insanity? He only hoped he wasn't, he wanted him to finish him, Harry, off one and for all. Should he be tortured to insanity, he did not want to live at St. Mungos. He knew he was better off staying with his parents after life. If there is, even a place for the after life. But why are the ghosts still here? He twisted his body again, trying to endure the pain he was put in. He never heard the portrait hole opening and closing.

At long last, he felt a rush of relief, but still suffering the curse of Cruciatus. Voldemort had taken the curse off Harry. He let out a shaky, painful breath as he tried to retain his control. He had never felt like this like the time at the end of Third Task. He then focused his hearing and heard two people arguing. He was baffled by the topic that they had chose to argue about.

"My Lord, if you wish to teach him that, then allow me," said a familiar, cool voice.

"No, he has denied me," hissed Voldemort. "He had chosen to die."

"My Lord, I do think he wants to learn, he is just thickheaded when it comes to learning. He does not do well in my class, and I doubt he would with Dark Arts."

"No, no, Snape, I'm sure you heard about Potter thwarting all my plans. He is a very talented duelist. I think he will do extravagantly well in Dark Arts. Though, he has abjured in learning Dark Arts. Now, excuse me, I do need to finish Potter off," he said greedily.

"My Lord, may I disgress that he may need some time convincing, perhaps a few lesson with me and if he accepts. He will continue his instructions with you," said Professor Snape silkily. There had been a lengthy pause at this, and then he heard a sigh.

"Very well Snape," he said. "Wormtail! Get over here," he said softly. He heard a scampering foot falls . "Snape, how often will you be teaching the boy?"

"Tuesdays would do, I can easily say that he has to take remedial potions," replied Severus Snape.

"That sounds good, now Wormtail, I want you to scout their lesson plans.," a whimper emitted from Peter. "Yes Wormtail, every Tuesdays. Now Snape, you had better give me full report of what goes on in your lesson with Potter. Come Wormtail, we leave now. RIDDLE'S MANOR!" Harry heard a roar of fire, and green tinted his vision. The process had repeated for Wormtail, as the fire roared again and disappeared. Harry sighed as his painful scar faded. His vision was still cloudy, and he still has his glasses on, he felt like he would be speaking incoherent.

"Potter, get up!"

"Mu, giemd zdenn um...." Replied harry tiredly. Professor Snape sighed irritably and went over to get him to his feet. When Harry finally stood up, he felt a wave of dizziness and swayed dangerously. His left knee went week, buckled, and fell to the ground.

"Mobilicorpus," said Snape, and he felt lightweight and began following Snape to, what he assumed, Hospital Wing. On the way there, he passed out.

Sometime later, Harry woke up in soft bed with white sheets. He dizzily sat up in his bed. Harry had wondered how long he'd been in the Hospital Wing. Madam Pomfrey came to him with a goblet of some potion and winced inwardly.

"Good afternoon Potter, here, drink this," she ordered. Harry accepted with distaste, and swallowed the contents. He suddenly felt not too dizzy anymore.

"Thanks, how long have I been out?"

"You came in this morning Potter," she replied as she checked Harry's vitals with the flick of the wand. "Mmm, as much as I hate to let you go and keep you here for another night. But I can't, so you're free to go," she said, turning around to head back to the office. Harry felt grateful and got out of the bed to leave Hospital Wing. He was sure that Ron and Hermione were sick with worry. Then he remembered the previous night's event and frowned. Was Professor going to actually teach him the Dark Arts? He would never, ever touch those stuff in his life except for defense against them.

'It was nearly winter holidays, so why start now?' thought Harry as he made his way to Gryffindor Tower. He gave Fat Lady the password and allowed entry to the common room. Near the portrait hole, he found Ron and Hermione standing there, talking.

"Hey you two," said Harry.

"Mate!

"Harry!" said the two at the same time as Harry grinned.

"Oh, are you okay?" asked Hermione. "What happened last night? They would not tell us anything!"

"What, not even Voldemort (Ron flinched) bit?" asked Harry.

"What do you mean, not Voldemort bit?" asked Hermione. Harry sighed, and led the two to three plush chairs closest to the fire.

"Voldemort was here, in this common room," said Harry.

"W-What, he was here, in this room?!" asked Hermione, widening her eyes in fear. Ron paled even more, his freckles seemed to pale too.

"Yes, he was here, my scar hurt when I woke up and heard voices. So, I had to investigate –"

"Mate, you should have woken me up too!" said Ron frowning by the fact he could have protected his friend.

"I'm sorry Ron, but I wasn't thinking at the moment. But in story short, he wanted to either kill me, or offer lessons to me in Dark Arts."

"What? Why would he even do that?" asked Hermione, appalled.

"I was wondering about that too," said Harry, nodding. Ron seemed to be speechless right now. "So, naturally, I denied the offer and chose to fight him. I didn't get much of a chance . . .."

"He got you first didn't he?" asked Hermione fearfully but softly.

"Yeah, he put me under Cruciatus for so long, I thought I was going to end up l-l-like someone's parents I know. I never felt anything this bad before, my vision was so clouded that I couldn't even see even after he took the curse off me."

"Oh Harry," said Hermione, tears appearing at the brim of her eyes.

"Luckily, but I don't know how he knew, but Professor Snape came. He offered to teach me instead. Something about being thick headed," he muttered.

"Well that's good won't it? Perhaps you two can do something else . . . "

"Except for the fact that Wormtail was here too, Voldemort sent him to find me from the dormitories. But he found me behind that couch behind you Hermione. So, I strangled him and punched him. Revenge I guess," he said with a half shrug.

"What are you saying Harry?" asked Hermione, confused.

"He's going to scout our lessons every Tuesdays," replied Harry.

"Oh no," said Hermione.

"Well, I think there might be a way . . . "said Harry with a grin.

"What's that mate?" asked Ron, finally out of his stupor.

"Either catch him in his rat form, or kill him. Or even use the Oblivation charm and plant with something else, which might be useful . . ." said Harry.

"I think you should kill him," spat Ron, still disgusted by the fact that it was his old pet Scabbers.

"Perhaps, if Snape will let me," said Harry.

"Does Dumbledore know?" asked Hermione.

"I think he does, because of Snape telling, you know," said Harry.

"Oh, that would be true," said Hermione.

"Well, I think we should get on with the homework. Did you take any notes for me from today's lessons?"

"Oh yes, here," replied Hermione, taking stuff out of the book bag.

Next morning, at breakfast, Harry found his owl flying to him. He wondered who would be sending something to him. He took the note from Hedwig when she landed next to him. Harry gave her some bacon bits for her to eat. Hedwig nibbled his fingers affectionately and ate the food she was given. Harry opened the scroll and began to read the contents.

Potter,
You are to report in the classroom on Tuesdays at six o'clock. If you are late, there will be severe consequences.
Potions Master
S. Snape

Harry sighed, and closed the scroll and took at look at the High Table and found that Professor Snape was staring at him. Harry nodded in answer and went back to eating.

On Tuesday at ten to six, Harry began his way down to the dungeons. He knew he was dreading this, was he really going to teach some Dark Arts or fake teaching him and do something else? He hoped that they could catch Wormtail, kill him or modify his memory. Then he remembered Voldemort and thought that the memory modification might not be the answer. He had remembered Bertha Jerkins, according to Crouch Jr., they had messed with her mind so much that she wasn't recognizable anymore but still got the information.

He really did not need that, so it was either option one or two. Three was way out of the question as it is. He hoped that he could at least kill Wormtail for revenge. He finally arrived at Snape's classroom and entered with closing the door. He went over to a seat in front of his desk, clearly that Snape was working on some things. Harry noticed that he was three minutes early for this 'lesson' Some two minutes later, Professor Snape looked up at Harry and looked startled but composure himself.

"Potter, how long have you been sitting there?"

"Oh uh," he took a look at the watch, "Two minutes professor."

Professor Snape growled quietly and stood up, then Harry heard a soft squeaking noises and his shadows in the eyes grew dark. Snape stood in front of Harry, contemplating something. He drew in a breath quickly and then exhaled slowly. Harry sensed that he was tensed, and wasn't exactly sure why. Before he could even realize something was happening, Professor swung around and shot a binding charm on a rat behind him. He then a large glass cage conjured out of thin air and summoned the rat to the cage and sealed it with Anti-Breaking charm. Which Harry then recognized from Hermione's experience with Rita Skeeter at the end of fourth year.

"Professor?" asked Harry, furrowing his eyebrows in question. But Professor Snape raised his hand for him to be quiet and Harry complied for now. He casts something onto the glass cage and Professor turned around to face him.

"I will take this rat up to Headmaster's office. You will come with me, understood?" Harry nodded, wondering why he had to ask him that question.

"Of course Professor," and the three of them left the classroom and went up to Headmaster's office. When Professor Snape gave the password to the statue and went up the spiraling staircase. He entered the office without knocking on the door and Harry closely followed. Professor Dumbledore looked away from the conversing portraits that now looked as if they were fake sleeping.

"Ah, you caught him I trust?"

"Yes Headmaster," he levitated the cage to his desk and left Dumbledore to study him. He hummed to himself mindlessly as the rat tried to claw his way out of the cage. "Is there anything else we have to do? What will... we tell the Dark Lord?"

"You will tell him that he's been caught by Remus Lupin, who, of course will have been recognized the rat right away. You will also tell him that you continue the lesson with Harry. As for Remus being here at Hogwarts, he would have only come to you for the potion he has to take monthly . . . "He finished, letting the other two catch on.

Professor Snape nodded, and sighed. "What about Potter?"

"Well, if they ever meet again, he would have to use the excuses you used."

"But Headmaster, he's not skilled to ward off his mind, he would easily break through his mind," said Professor Snape.

"That will be an issue for myself at a later time. Perhaps after Winter Holidays," replied Dumbledore. Harry wondered what they were talking about. Then he dismissed the two from office and Harry went down the stairs with Professor Snape.

"I'll see you in Potions class tomorrow," said Professor Snape.

"As do will I," replied Harry and the two split up to their own ways.
This story takes place just before Arthur Weasley gets bitten by the snake. Well, I hope you liked this story!