7 – Answering Questions
"Leave it to a Potter to attract attention by putting himself in the hospital wing on the first evening," the professor sneered, turning to the Mediwitch.
"Oh, shut up, Severus. Mr. Potter has a middle ear infection along with a high fever. Apart from that, my diagnostic spells showed some very troublesome results." She handed her colleague several parchments. "I'm afraid that I can't allow him to stay overnight in a dormitory, at least not at the moment. His overall condition is too weak, and he would only end up here every second day. I will assign him one of the small rooms behind my office in order to keep an eye on him, at least until, let's say Christmas."
"Very well," the Slytherin Head said, frowning. "Will he be able to attend classes tomorrow?"
"Probably yes, but I'll inform you at breakfast," Poppy replied firmly.
Harry observed from half-closed eyes how the man turned on his heels and left. Somehow, he felt very hurt, although it was clear that the professor couldn't know him at all. 'He still could have said something. He is my Head of House after all,' Harry thought tiredly.
"Very well then; if you feel well enough to transform, you may do so, and if you don't feel worse in your phoenix form, you may return home for the night. I will send Misty to check on you and spell some more potions into your system during the night. I expect you to see you here as soon as Severus leaves for breakfast. If you feel worse during the night or have any problems, you must come immediately," Poppy instructed Harry in her soft voice.
"All right. Thank you very much, Madam Pomfrey," Harry replied gratefully and tried to transform, sighing in relief when he succeeded immediately.
"Splash, wait a moment," Poppy said as he just began to concentrate on flashing. "I'm going to spell a sleeping potion into your stomach. You then have ten minutes to return to your perch."
Splash trilled a grateful melody and gave the Mediwitch a slight nod, before he flashed away, drifting off to sleep as soon as his feet touched the perch.
フェニクス・ランド
In the morning, Splash felt considerably better and was able to hide from Severus that he was still suffering from a headache. 'He was not very nice to me when I was Harry,' Splash mused, feeling slightly sad as he observed his familiar getting ready for class.
"Splash, is everything all right?" Severus asked softly, noticing that the phoenix was not as talkative as usual.
#Yes, of course. Have fun teaching,# Splash trilled, trying to sound healthier and happier than he actually was, causing the teacher to throw him a smile. As soon as the professor headed to the Great Hall for breakfast, Splash flashed into the hospital wing.
"Good morning, Splash," Poppy greeted him warmly, throwing him a concerned look. "I have prepared one of the small rooms behind my office for you, and the house-elves have brought your luggage into the room." She gently coaxed Splash onto her shoulder and took him into the small room, where she ordered him to sit on the bed and transform back into his human form.
"Your ear is much better, but the infection isn't gone completely, and you're still running a slight temperature," Poppy said, clucking disapprovingly as she slid her wand back into her robe pocket. "I will excuse you with your teachers."
"No." Harry quickly reached for her cool hand. "Please, let me attend classes. I feel much better than last night, and I don't want to miss classes right from the beginning."
The Mediwitch threw him a thoughtful look and sighed. "Very well, but I will inform my colleagues, so that they won't ask questions if you feel worse and want to return here. Come back for another check-up and your next dose of potions at lunchtime."
"Okay, thank you," Harry said in relief and obediently gulped down the potions Poppy held out for him, before he grabbed his school books and his wand that Misty had bought for him and followed the Mediwitch to the Great Hall, glad that breakfast was nearly over by the time they arrived.
フェニクス・ランド
Transfiguration was a lot of fun, and at the end of the class, Harry managed to transfigure his match into a needle. He was very proud when Professor McGonagall commended him and awarded five points to Slytherin. 'That went well, considering that I only received my wand this morning,' Harry mused as he left the classroom and trailed behind his classmates to the dungeons, very excited to have his first Potions class.
Harry listened excitedly as the professor stormed into the classroom and held a long monologue. 'I always knew that he doesn't overly like students, but why is he looking so grim?' he wondered as he observed his familiar.
Perhaps it was because he felt Harry's eyes following his every move, perhaps it was just because he was in a bad mood; however, Severus suddenly began to ask Harry questions. Confused as to why the professor was singling him out, he began to answer the questions, which he found very easy. However, upon realising that the whole class was watching him in amazement, his headache intensified greatly, and as a sharp pain shot through his right ear, he felt the dizziness and the fever come back full force. He fiercely rubbed his forehead as he absently continued to reply to the teacher's questions, unaware of the disbelieving look the man shot him.
フェニクス・ランド
Severus, who merely had begun to ask the boy questions in order to ridicule the son of his childhood enemy in front of the class, was stunned. 'The boy can answer seventh year questions. Where did he get such a comprehensive knowledge of Potions? I thought he grew up with Petunia and her husband, and as far as I remember Petunia absolutely detests the magical world. Oh well, I know what I'm going to ask. That he can't be able to answer, considering that Splash and I only invented the potion a few weeks ago,' he decided. "Mr. Potter, one last question. What kind of potion would I get if I replaced asphodel with moon fern that is steeped in phoenix tears in the Wolfsbane potion?"
"A temporary Wolfscure potion, sir," Harry replied absentmindedly as he tried to keep himself upright in spite of the fact that the room was turning left and right and he felt as if he was on a rollercoaster.
Suddenly, the teacher hissed angrily, "What do you think you're playing at, Potter? Detention with me tonight. Remain after class."
"Yes sir," Harry replied weakly, just before he couldn't fight the dizziness anymore and let his head sink onto his arms.
"Harry, are you all right?" Hermione and Blaise, who were sitting on both sides of him, asked in concern, causing Harry to slightly shake his head.
"Professor, Harry seems to be unwell again. Shall I take him to the hospital wing?" Blaise queried, causing the teacher to nod.
"Leave it to Potter to once more draw all the attention on himself," the teacher sneered as Harry slowly left the classroom, steadied by Hermione and Blaise.
フェニクス・ランド
Madam Pomfrey motioned the three students into Harry's room, waving her wand over the boy as he lay down on his bed. "What caused Mr. Potter to have a relapse during your class?" she asked sternly as she made him drink a few potions.
"Professor Snape bombarded Harry with difficult Potions questions, and when he could answer all of them he exploded and gave him detention. I don't know exactly why," Hermione explained eagerly.
"I know why," Harry suddenly groaned. "Madam Pomfrey, may I tell you later in private please?"
"Of course," Poppy replied gently and turned to the students. "Out now here. Thank you for bringing Mr. Potter to me, but he has to rest now. You may come back later on."
Hermione promised to take notes for Harry, and she and Blaise quickly left the room. Before Poppy could make him fall asleep, Harry told her what the last question had been.
"Oh right, no one except for Severus, Splash and myself could have known that," Poppy said thoughtfully. "Severus probably still doesn't associate you with Splash, but he believes that you used Legilimency on him."
"Legilimency?" Harry asked in surprise, wearily listening to the explanation Poppy offered.
"Well, I think you have to tell him the truth," Poppy said finally.
"But will he still allow me to come home as Splash? You know, his quarters are my home, and I like him a lot," Harry asked anxiously.
"He loves you as well," Poppy said soothingly and, after a glance on her wrist watch, headed to the fireplace.
Harry couldn't help the tears leak out of the corners of his eyes as he heard the Mediwitch's angry voice, "Severus Snape, come to the hospital wing immediately. I will not have you worsen your students' conditions, do you understand me?"
An instant later, Poppy returned to his room with the professor in tow. "I merely asked Potter questions, but he saw fit to use Legilimency on me," Severus hissed, his expression schooled to a blank mask.
"I'm sorry, Professor. I didn't use anything, but... I'm Splash," Harry sobbed, looking at the professor from glassy green eyes.
tbc...
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