Harry Potter Ch. 4

A/N. Here's a new chapter for all who are following the story. Thanks again to the people who have added the story to their favorites/ follow lists. It would be great to hear what you think of the story.

The next morning at seven twenty, Harry, Ron, and the rest of the Junior Gryffindors meet in their common room awaiting Professor Black to lead them to breakfast.

"Hey Harry, look! Our uniforms have the Gryffindor Lion patch on them now. When I put mine out last night it didn't have any patch. How do you suppose the patches got there?" Ron asked. Hermione answers before Harry "Really, just think about it! It is magic of course. As soon as we are sorted the patches for your house appear on your uniforms. Now everyone knows what house we're in just by looking."

"Well, at least the patches give us a little color. I don't like to wear all black. And what's with these shoes? Why couldn't we just wear our trainers instead of these clunky old lace ups?" Harry complained.

Sirius hearing the complaint as he enters the common room says "The "clunky old lace ups" will keep your feet warm in the drafty corridors. I do say you will find them useful in keeping your feet from hurting from all the walking you will be doing going to and from classes and the dormitory Harry. Now if you all are ready, follow me and I'll show you the way to the Great Hall for breakfast. Sirius says with a smile .

After breakfast the students are given their daily schedules for the term. The students have breakfast from 7:30-8:30- daily. The first class period is from 8:45- 9:45, second period class is from 10:20- 11:45. Lunch is in the Great Hall Dining Room from 12:00-12:30 and the third period class is 12:45-2:45. The students are given free time to visit the library or with friends until five thirty. Dinner is served until six o'clock when all junior level students are expected to go to their dorms for the evening.

"What classes did you get Harry?" Ron asks at breakfast. Harry hands over his schedule to his friend. "Great we get the same classes!" Ron says excitedly. "We have Transfiguration, Beginners Astronomy and oh no! Beginning Potions for the last block! It's the longest too! At least we only have that three days this week. The other days are listed as Mathematics and Language. "

Harry replies "Next week we have Herbology, and Charms with the Mathematics and Language classes. We have those together too."

"Really boys! We all have the same classes ! What did you expect? We'll be split up between the other houses in the classes though. I hear we have Potions with Slytherins!" Hermione speaks up. The idea is for all of us to get to know people from other houses by having class together."

Ron leans over and asks Harry quietly "Who's the know it all?"

"Oh that's right you haven't met yet. Ron this is Hermione Granger and Hermione this is my friend Ron Weasley."

Hermione holds out her hand "Pleasure to meet you Ron. Aren't you excited to come and learn so many fascinating new things? I just can't wait until we get to classes today! I've already read the first chapters in all of my textbooks and this year is going to be so fabulous!"

Ron, not being the studious type just gapes at her. When he looks over at Harry he sees Harry just shrug at him.

After their first day of classes, Ron collapses on his bed. "Man, Harry ! These teachers are tough! First day and they've already assigned homework! I guess we can't go exploring today. "

"You're right we can't. We have to get this homework finished."

"I know!" Ron says "Let's get Hermione Know It All and split it up. If each of us does one assignment then the rest of us can rewrite it for our own homework! That way we won't have to do so much!"

"Ron, that's cheating! You can go ahead if you want to do that but I'm not! My Dad would go bonkers if he found out I copied someone else's work! Let me warn you if you do decide to go ahead with this plan, be prepared to receive one of his 'serious discussions'! You are in his House and he will treat you just the same as he would me! Especially when he has permission from your own parents ."

"I think I'll get busy on homework, Harry. I have many assignments you know?" Ron answers.

"I thought that might change your mind!" Harry snickers quietly.

Four weeks later during their Potions class, Professor Snape is monitoring his students as they go about preparing the potion listed on the chalkboards. Walking among the students he stops at Harry and Ron's table. "Potter! Weasley! This potion should be on step five by now! I can see your still cutting . When do you expect to be ready to join the class? You've been in my classroom for three whole weeks and I have yet to see a suitable potion! Potter, you still should know how to follow directions even with your hero status and all! I expect better! You both just received a score of dreadful for the potion!" With those words the professor waves his wand and the boy's potion vanishes.

Harry having heard himself put down by the man once too often mutters "Greasy haired hateful old bat!"

Unfortunately for Harry the "bat" has excellent hearing.

"TWENTY points from Gryffindor for disrespect and TEN for not following directions! You will remain behind after class Mr. Potter!"

After the end of the period and everyone has left, Harry says "Professor Snape? I'm truly sorry for what I said earlier. I …"

"Mr. Potter you need to be taught a lesson in respect and obedience. I thought I would have problems with you and I was right. I'm not putting up with a spoiled pampered little boy. Let's Go!" Snape says pointing to the door.

"Are you escorting me to the dorm, Sir?" Harry asks hopefully.

"No, Mr. Potter. Keep quiet and come with me."

When they reach Professor Black's office, Harry steps behind the long robed professor. When his Dad opens the office door Snape says "I have one of your precious Gryffindor's here who needs a lesson in respect and obedience! I will not tolerate this behavior." As he says this he reaches behind him, grabs Harry by the robes and hauls him out in front of him.

"Harry?" Sirius says sounding surprised. Then "Just what is it that he has done Professor. Please come in and let's talk. You too Harry!"

"This child of yours does not pay attention during class, fails to follow the written or oral directions, and now has the gall to be disrespectful to my face! Go ahead ask him what he called me today in class."

Sirius looks at his son. "Well, Harry?"

"greasyhairedhatefuloldbat" Harry whispers all in one breath.

"Harry, you are going to speak out where I can hear you and do it now." Sirius tells him firmly.

"I called him a greasy haired hateful old bat. I'm sorry Professor Snape! I didn't mean it Sir!" Harry says biting his lip to keep from crying in front of Snape.

"As his Professor, what punishment do you plan to give Harry, Professor Snape?" Sirius asks ignoring the shocked look on Harry's face.

"I think one detention with me plus the thirty points I already took from your house will be sufficient on my part. He can begin detention tonight after dinner."

"That will be fine. I will make sure he attends. Thank you for bringing him to me." Sirius replies.

As the door closes behind Professor Snape, Sirius turns to Harry. "We will talk about this at home. Get your schoolbag and let's go."

"Dad? Can't I explain?" Harry begs.

"I just said we will talk about this at home! Now Let's Go!"

Harry follows him down the stairs to their first floor living quarters. Upon entering Sirius says "Go sit on the couch. We have some talking to do."

Harry obeys without saying a word. Just by looking at his Dad's face, he knows he is in big trouble.

Coming over and sitting beside the boy Sirius says "Explain to me Harry, why you would behave in such a disrespectful way. We have been over the school and home rules many times so you know that this behavior will not be tolerated. You know how to be respectful. Now what do you have to say?"

Sniffling, Harry says "He's been picking on me and Ron ever since we started classes. He is forever telling us we didn't do this or that or put in too much or not enough. Nothing we ever do is right. Today we were a little behind in the potion because Malfoy stole our worms and then our roots after we cut them up. We had to get more and start over. Professor Snape got mad and banished our potion saying we had a dreadful. If it weren't for that Malfoy we could have done it."

"Harry, I know Professor Snape is very demanding and strict. He has to be strict because of the fact that Potion making can be dangerous if students don't follow the directions exactly. He doesn't want to have students or himself injured by toxic fumes or exploding cauldrons. I believe he has explained this to his classes. Am I right?"

"Yes sir, he did. But it's that Malfoy's fault. If he hadn't stolen from us we wouldn't have been in trouble." Harry replies loudly and angrily. The glass doors of the kitchen cabinets start vibrating. Two of the glasses sitting on a table in the kitchen suddenly explode.

"Harry! Get Control! Deep breaths, count out loud, pull it back, don't lose control of your magic! Calm yourself down, you know how to do that."

After a few minutes pass without further vibrations or explosions, Sirius says "Good Job! I knew you could get control of it. You did well this time Harry! " Sirius praises, recalling a time in the past when Harry's emotions caused him to lose control. That time every glass object in the house was obliterated in seconds!

"Now about what happened in the classroom, you were saying this is all Malfoy's fault. You and Draco Malfoy have already had some run ins with each other if I remember correctly. But Harry, did Malfoy make you call Professor Snape a 'Greasy Haired Hateful Old Bat' ?" Sirius asks leaning down to look Harry in the eyes.

"No Sir." Harry whispers into his shirtfront.

"Look at me Harry." Sirius commands, waiting for Harry to look at him.

"When you call someone names it is disrespectful, isn't that true?"

"Yes sir. I already apologized to him. You heard me. He's also punished me by giving detention and taking points. I shouldn't be punished more." Harry says hopefully, knowing where his Dad's questions are leading.

"I'm aware that Professor Snape has assigned punishments. Those are school punishments for breaking the school rules. However we also have the rule here at home of respect and obedience. I also told you if you were brought to me for misbehavior you would be punished. I am not going to spank you this time but if you are ever disrespectful to an adult this way again, I will. You are grounded here to our quarters until the weekend and your broom is on the ground for a week."

"A whole week? That's a long time, Dad." Harry says, fighting tears with the stern tone his Dad is using.

"Yes, I'm sure it seems that way. You must curb your tongue, son. I know it's hard at your age. Come sit with me."

As Harry cuddles in his arms, Sirius says "You know Pup, you have to ignore people who do things to irritate you the way Draco did. From what you told me he was trying to start something with you. It worked too, didn't it? He caused you to fall behind and then be scolded by the professor. I know he's been giving you trouble but it's best if you just ignore him. If Draco is anything like his Mum, he'll finally give up if he doesn't get attention for his actions."

"Yes sir, I'll try." Harry says still sniffling a little because his pride is smarting from his Dad's scolding.

"Now, from what I've been hearing all the rest of your classes are going well. Let's talk about this weekend. I was thinking we could take a trip into Hogsmeade on Saturday. I could use some time away from school for a while. What do you think?"

"I want to go but could Ron come too? It would be fun for him to get to go too."

"Yes, I'm sure it would but I can't take him. Only third year students are allowed to go off school grounds and then only on certain weekends. I can take you because you are my child. We'll have to look into this to see what we can do. The rules for this need to be adapted now that we have the Junior level students as well. After all it's a long time until you reach third year level. I'll talk to the headmaster and see if we can't arrange something for you Junior levels."

"Thanks Dad, I know the other kids want to get to go out sometimes too. It's going to be hard to have to stay here all the time." Harry says giving Sirius a hug.

You're welcome Pup. Right now it's time for dinner so I'll walk you there. Then after dinner I'll walk you down to your detention."

"Dad! Why did you let him give me detention? I don't want to have to go back in that room with him."

"I imagine not. You broke school rules so you receive the same punishment as any other student, Harry. You will do whatever he tells you to do and do it respectfully. If you don't you'll find yourself in more trouble. Understand?"

"Yes sir, I understand but I still don't like it."

At dinner that night, Ron asks "What did Old Bat do to you, mate? You never did come back to the Common Room so I wondered if he cut you up for his potions!"

"I have detention with him starting right after dinner tonight. He also took me to my Dad again."

"What a greasy old git to tattle like that! Was your Dad real sore at you?"

"Ron, let me put it like this. You will be sleeping without me until Monday. Dad confined me to Quarters, I'm grounded from flying for a week too!" Harry says with a rueful look at his friend.

"Remind me from now on when I start to lose it that some people have the hearing of bats!"