Chapter 7
Slytherins and Gryffindors had a double potions class first thing and were all sitting waiting for their professor to arrive at the class. Harry was between Neville and Hermione so he could stay away from Ron. After Harry and Ron's fight the previous night most of the Gryffindor fifth through sixth years knew what happened and were staring at the two to see how they were going to react to each other in class; knowing that Harry spent last night outside of the dorms. Draco sat next to Hermione and leaned over to whisper in her ear.
"Granger. What's going on with Potter and Weasley? If you don't mind me asking?" Draco asked
"I figured you would have already known? Everyone seems to. Ron's being rude, because Harry's friends with your God father, and Ron's just being super bitter." answered Hermione
"Seriously he's still on about the rivalry. We're sixteen he needs to get over himself. We're friends why can't Potter and Severus." Draco said
"Well Draco not many people know we're friends at all, but I would like to be more open about our friendship. If people have problems with it all they can grow up or leave us all alone." Hermione suggested
Draco smiled and sat back in chair and draped his arm over the back of Hermione's chair. Severus walked in a few minutes later and smirked at how his students were arranged. Ron had been forced to sit in a back corner because the class had not left one seat between Harry and Ron.
Ron had wanted to torment the Harry, but now his plans were shot. He would send his mother an owl and tell her about the Slytherin Gryffindor friendships he was finding out about. She would be mad and send the people involved some very nasty letters about the wrongs they were committing. Ron knew his mother shared his feeling for the inter-house friendships, had learned them from her after all. The rest of his family had accepted that these friendships were acceptable and even preferable over their own house mates.
Severus started the lesson and the class quickly got to work on their potions. Harry worked with Neville and Hermione with Draco, while Ron got stuck working with Millicent Bulstrode. Severus could see the disgust on his face at having to work with one of his snakes. It gave Severus pleasure to see the boy hurting so badly, when not even twelve hours prior he made Harry a quivering mess of tears. It seemed like a good punishment, but it wasn't good enough in Severus' eyes. The boy needed to suffer for what he had done to Harry, but for now he would leave it to Minerva to punish her lion. Severus sat at his desk and watched everyone. He pulled a small piece of paper out and wrote a short note on it telling Mr. Weasley that Minerva wanted to see him during his free period today. The class went by surprising quickly and he dropped the note in front of Weasley.
"Class is dismissed would Mr. Potter and Longbottom stay behind as well as Miss Granger. I'd like to speak with you three." said Severus
"I'll see you tonight" Draco said to Hermione
Harry, Hermione, and Neville walked up to Severus' desk and waiting to be spoken to.
"You three did well today. I wanted to see if you three and Miss Weasley might want to come down to my rooms tonight after dinner, and spend some time away from Ronald and the rest of your house." Severus said
Harry looked to his friends who smiled and nodded at him.
"We'd love to Severus. Thank you I'll talk to Ginny later at lunch." Harry said smiling
"Severus, could Draco come too? If that's ok, I don't want to over step." Hermione asked nervously
"I didn't know you and Draco were friends, but if that's ok with the rest of you it fine with me. He is my God-son after all." Severus said
Hermione smiled at Neville and Harry, begging them with her eyes
"Its fine with me Hermione I know you and Draco have gotten close like Severus and I have. I'll admit it surprised me, but then again I think Severus and I shocked some people too." Harry said
Hermione hugged Harry thanking him. She really meant when she told Draco she wanted to be able to hang out with all of her friends at the same time and not hide Draco from people.
"You three should get going before you're late to Minerva's class. Harry she wants to talk with you later. Make sure to ask her about it before you leave class." Severus said
"Ok I will Severus, I'll see later" Harry said smiling
They all said bye to Severus and left for their Transfiguration class with Ravenclaw. Neville was really happy, because he had gotten really close to Luna and transfiguration was her best subject, so she was a grade up in that class. Neville sat with Luna and Hermione and Harry would sit at a table near them, so they could talk and do projects together. When they got to class Luna had saved the two tables in the back corner. They noticed Ron wasn't anywhere to be seen which made them happy. They hoped he was either being disciplined or wasn't coming to class at all. This class also seemed to be leaving no seat open around Harry and his friends. They all knew word traveled fast at Hogwarts, but this was kind of comical. Harry started to wonder if the Hufflepuffs would do that in Herbology in the next class.
A few moments later Ron ran out of Professor McGonagall's office and ran down the left isle followed by McGonagall walking out yelling at him.
"Mr. Weasley you will come back here and see me during your free period today or you will have detention with Filch for the rest of the year, and being as this is the first day of class I don't think you will want to leave." Minerva yelled
Ron halted at the door, sighing heavily and took the only seat left open at the right front corner of the classroom. He sat down and slammed his books down on the desk. Silence rang out through the classroom.
"Mr. Weasley, I want a 20 foot essay on Salazar Slytherin and his relationship with the other founders on my desk by Friday. Now be quiet!" Minerva said sternly to the boy who was aggravating her. Her patience was wearing thin and she might send him to Dumbledore soon if he didn't keep quiet.
Ron worked alone for the rest of the lesson not talking to anyone who spoke to him even Professor McGonagall. Minerva decided to just ignore him and punish him for his childish behavior later. Harry found it sad that Ron was doing this, because of his friendship with Severus and his possible punishment. Harry had no idea if his relationship with Ron was salvageable, but at that moment he couldn't care less.
The class ended and Harry walked up to Minerva to see about why she wanted to see him. He figured it probably had something to do with the whole Ron situation.
"Professor McGonagall?" Harry said making his presence known
"Yes Mr. Potter. What can I do for you?" replied Minerva looking up from her desk
"Professor Snape told me that you wanted to speak with me during my free period today" stated Harry
"Yes Mr. Potter, you have 5th period free right?" Minerva asked
"Yes Professor." replied Harry
"Ok come here at the beginning of 5th period." Said Minerva dismissing Harry to go to his next class.
Harry nodded to McGonagall and left to go to greenhouse number three for Herbology.
*******************************The Halloween Ball*******************************
Herbology went by fast and Harry was laughing and talking with his friends for the majority of the practical lesson. Ron hadn't showed up for class which made it easier on Harry to be care free. They all went to lunch and had a good time. Harry was having a pretty great first day of class, Ron wasn't bothering him, and it seemed like the whole castle was pissed at Ron, and the only incident was when Ron threw his little tantrum in transfiguration. Harry didn't want to think about how much trouble Ron was gong to be in for that tantrum and not showing up for Herbology class, but he couldn't wait to find out.
Hermione was sitting next to Harry talking to Ginny who was sitting next to Neville on the other side of the table. They had a great lunch then Ginny went to her fifth period class, and Hermione and Neville walked Harry to professor McGonagall's office and told him they would wait for him outside of the office at one of the desks in the Transfiguration classroom
Harry knocked on the office door and waited for the professor to open it. She let Harry into her office and asked him to sit down
"Mr. Potter, I know you spent last night in professor Snape's chambers. I don't have any issue with it, and Severus did notify me last night, but I wanted to talk to you about why you felt the need to stay with him instead of in the dorm on your first night back." Minerva asked
"Professor, I'm guessing you already know that I have a friendship with Severus and that Ron found out and had an issue with it. He was crude and made it very clear that he wanted nothing to do with Slytherins and that I shouldn't either. I had decided to go see Severus and thought I would ask him if I could stay over, so I packed a bag just in case. I went up to the dorm and Ron was sitting on my bed not talking, just sitting there glaring at me. I was just done packing when he freaked out on me, and was yelling at me and asking me if I let Severus do sexually explicit things to me that I'd rather not repeat to you professor as it would be disrespectful. Neville walked in, and broke it up, and I made up my mind that I wasn't going to be staying in the same room with Ron no matter what." Harry said relaying what had happened the previous night.
"Harry I've spoken with Mr. Weasley about his actions and what he said. I am still in the process of finding a proper punishment, because not only did he insult and invade the personal space of a student, but he has taken things way out of proportion and insulted a professor and that is unacceptable. I won't have students thinking they can do or say whatever they want, but Harry I also don't want you around him right now. He's not good for you. All of the boy's dorms are full this year in every house, so moving you to another houses dorm wouldn't work. And with the magic of Hogwarts putting you in Ginny or Hermione's dorms while they do have open beds is also out of the question as you wouldn't be able to get to them." started Minerva trying to explain the situation
"Professor would you be ok with me just moving in Severus? I know Sirius and Remus have rooms in the castle, but I don't want to encroach on their space, and Severus has already told me I'm always welcome." Harry said hoping to convince his head of house that this was a good idea.
"Harry, I was just about to ask you which you would prefer, and I have asked Severus already, if that ok with him, and he said yes. I will have the house elves move your things into Severus' rooms tonight." Minerva finished
"Thank you professor." Harry said
"You're welcome Harry run along now, I will see at dinner" Minerva said dismissing Harry.
"Goodbye professor." Harry said turning and walking out of the office.
Hermione and Neville were still sitting and talking when he came out of the office. They shut their mouths and looked expectantly in his direction. Harry smiled at them and waved them forward to follow him to the hallway.
"Let's go to Severus' rooms and talk. I'll tell you everything and it will give me a chance to tell Severus too." Harry said when they stepped into the hall.
/\/\\SeverusChambers/\/\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
Harry knocked on the door and a few seconds later it swung open. Severus was using his magic to be lazy, because he didn't want to get up from what he was doing and greet his guests. Severus looked up from the book he was reading and saw the trio walking into his rooms.
"Don't you have class right now?" Severus inquired
"No, its fifth period Gryffindor 2nd, 4th , and 6th years don't have classes right now." Harry replied
"Oh well welcome. Harry did you go and talk with Minerva?" Severus said smiling
"Yeah actually I wanted to tell you all what we talked about and what action is being taken." Harry started
"Go on I want to hear this." Severus said eagerly.
"So, for one she still doesn't have a final punishment for Ron. We talked about everything that has happened, and Minerva suggested I get out of the dorms, and after some careful deliberation we decided I would stay here for the time being." Harry said summarizing what happened in Minerva's office.
"Awesome Harry when will they have a final punishment for him?" Hermione asked
"Soon Minerva is going to talk to him today and if he doesn't show up for their scheduled meeting he will be getting a severe letter home and a boat load of detentions with Filch. Minerva is at the point where there is no more leeway." Severus said
"That'll teach him to be more respectful, and less prejudice." Hermione said hoping he got the worst punishment possible.
They were all sitting on the couch or arm chairs in the living room. They all seemed to be relaxing around each other. They spent the rest of the period talking about the year and what it was going to be like. When the time came they all got up and headed to their classes. They would all come back here after dinner with Ginny and Draco; Harry nervous about the entire thing.
AN: More to come, let me know what you think. I hope you all love it!