Impressed
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. Never think that. I'd never have paired Harry with Ginny.
"Today is Halloween. The day we find out the Sorting Hat's decision for the four students from four houses, as I mentioned at the Opening feast.
"These select few shall engage in a year long project, not unlike an apprentice project, with the selected head of house. Of course, you are allowed to refuse..." Harry doubted anyone would. It was a great opportunity, and would increase their credits a lot, in case of a job application.
"...remember, if you are called for by the Hat, you shall not assist your own head of house. This activity was initiated purely for interhouse cooperation..." Ron started to comment, but Hermione nudged him to keep quiet.
Snape sure looked like the student assigned to him would be mixed with Warthog entrails for the Blood Boiling Potion.
Harry was surprised he recalled that piece of information from last year. He shook it off and resumed listening to the Headmaster's speech.
"...and to make this more exciting, we have another rule. You cannot 'apprentice' under the subject of the professor assigned to you. Never fear, though. They are more than proficient at almost all subjects..."
As Harry watched, predictably, the other heads of house who had been looking neutral to this arrangement assumed some form of discomfort. If possible, Snape scowled even harder.
Although, Umbridge looked like someone had decorated the entirety of Hogwarts with pink, not unlike her office. Sadistic toad must like their uneasiness.
"I've been talking far too long, I'm afraid, so let the Sorting begin!"
Harry felt a sense of dread creeping into him. It was Halloween, after all. Something unfortunate was bound to happen, as usual. And this house unity project was the perfect opportunity for fate to strike.
Perhaps he was being paranoid , but Harry crossed his fingers fevrently under the table, don't let me be chosen, don't let me be chosen, don't let me be chosen...
"Ravenclaw, Luna Lovegood," the Hat paused as Luna stood up, " and the Gryffindor Head of House."
Few people from Ravenclaw clapped as they were taken aback by the Hat's choice. Luna serenely walked upto the head table to stand beside Professor McGonagall, who seemed rather disconcerted at her new 'apprentice' . Clearly, she had expected someone more...clear headed.
All the students waited for the designated subject, but the Hat moved on to the next house.
"Gryffindor," - don't let it be me -"Harry Potter," the Hat paused again as Harry shakily stood up amid cheers, "and the Slytherin Head of House." Ron and Hermione gasped and threw him looks of despair.
Harry's heart sank as he trudged towards Snape, receiving pitying expressions feom every house except Slytherin. He sullenly stood erect beside a furious Snape as Malfoy cackled with glee. Harry barely heard the next two names (Sophie Davis to Flitwick and Arcturus Brocklehurst to Sprout) while he mourned his misfortune.
Working on a project with Snape for a whole year? Death would have been preferable. It seemed Snape shared his views, because Snape had bent his fork in anger.
Dumbledore took the platform again and cheerfully announced that they would be deciding the subjects by picking them out of his hat.
Sure enough, he took off his hat and flicked his wand to fill it with chits of paper. As Luna murmured, "Pygmy, doxy, pixie, the sorceress had a kelpie..." he confided in the head table that he had gotten this idea from Muggles and it was quite effective. Umbridge and Brocklehurst immediately seemed reluctant to go near the hat.
Unfortunately, Brocklehurst has to, Harry thought with a small smirk.
Luna divulged her subject: History of Magic and did not look peeved at all. Professor McGonagall's neutral expression twitched. Harry suppressed a grin. Imagine Hermione's face when she heard of it!
At Dumbledore's wave, Harry dipped his hand into the hat and pulled out a piece of paper. He read it, gulped, and announced, "Defense Against the Dart Arts."
Snape's lips curled into a feral smile.
Harry felt he had just unleashed a monster against himself. He shuddered.
The whole hall was in an uproar. Snape had finally gotten to teach DADA! That too to Harry Potter, the student he despised!
Dumbledore quickly put an end to the commotion before it got out of hand and motioned for Davis to proceed.
Yet, Harry's attention was not on the choosing of subjects. The only thought on his mind was: Bloody hell, this is going to be torture.
That had been the worst Sorting, ever. Now, he was stuck in a classroom - specially assigned to them - with Snape.
Snape sneered and told him to list the defensive spells that he knew, remarking,"not that your knowledge would fill many books, not mentioning useful books."
Despising Snape and his situation, Harry picked up a quill and started writing.
Snape began creating an atmosphere for duelling in the class, vanishing the other desks, conjuring a duelling platform, and a timer.
The professor strode over to him, and Harry thought that Snape had expected for him to have finished the record of defense spells. Well, he was wrong and would be for a few minutes. Harry's repertoire was large compared to other students. Plus, Harry liked defense, thus he had sometimes read a few books about it in the library, especially since his best friends became prefects.
To conceal his shock, Severus taunted Potter.
"Well, I don't find this surprising at all. I should have expected your writing speed to reflect your comprehension, Potter. Hurry up, I'm not going to waste my time because of your incompetence in writing. "
"I'm sorry, sir, but I think it's the amount of content rather than the complexity of it." He saw Potter try to hold back a smirk, though his eyes were still hard.
He was impressed, he grudgingly admitted to himself. Potter had learned to pick his battles over the years, more so, if someone insulted only him and not his dear ones. He sometimes fought with Slytherin tactics as well.
That didn't mean that Potter would win this (even if he was right), though. Severus would not let him win, even if he had to use his authority.
Something against his housemates, then. "Three points from Gryffindor for cheek, Potter. " He relished the taste of victory as Potter ground his teeth.
After fifteen minutes, the list was complete. Severus scanned the record and was taken aback to find the incantations for the counters of several dark curses. Well, that didn't mean Potter had the instinct for battle. Severus knew Potter's survival of dangerous encounters were based at least half on luck.
Harry got to his feet, panting, he had been caught off guard with that Jelly-legs jinx.
Snape had pointed out several of his mistakes. For example, always being defensive, and casting Expelliarmus as the first or second spell.
Harry had to acknowledge (unwillingly and only to himself) that Snape knew what he was doing and had impressed Harry. Harry had also figured out Snape purposely riled him up. To keep him on the offensive, or to seem distracted, or to distract Harry. It was quite clever to keep changing tactics.
From then, every alternate evening they kept up the project work and Harry became quite proficient in all areas of defense, not only duelling.
It was near the end of the year, which had gone splendidly. The project had been far more successful than he had imagined. Miss Lovegood had also changed a bit, and Minerva had been more open to everything, which he had hoped for when they were assigned together.
Albus also saw that which Severus and Harry refused to accede to.
Both of them respected and - dare he say it - cared for each other in the way comrades in arms would.
Oh yes, they still kept up the show of loathing the other, but Albus was sure they knew that was not true. The problem was that the show of loathing was for each other as well. They were not ones to allow anyone the knowledge of it. Especially the other person.
Well, he'd find some way.
Albus hadn't meant to make them amiable, the project had been exactly what he had said it was, interhouse unity. Yet, it had happened, and who was he to deny more peace in the world?
Word count : 1389
Challenges:
HSWW (C&A) : Assignment #10. Transfiguration, Task 1.
The Insane House Challenge. 658.
THE RETURN OF THE CHOCOLATE FROG CARDS CLUB. Silver- Murtlap.
The Fanfiction Resolutions Challenge. 8.
How was it? Good? Horrible? Please review!
~Natasha.