A.N. I'm back at last, sorry it took so long. I've finished university for the year and the good news is that I'm not getting a job this summer so I can get back to my writing – yay!

Chapter 10: Things that freak him out.

"Longbottom, how many times do I have to tell you?" barked Professor Snape. "You need to let the potion come to a slow boil before you add ..."

"Five points from Professor Snape!"

Every single person in the room instantly stopped what they were doing. The only movement was the twenty or so pairs of eyes that all turned in unison the gaze first at Harry and then their teacher.

"What?"

It wasn't really a question. There was the distinct sound of a challenge in the Professors voice. He was daring Harry to repeat what he had just said.

"I said five points from Professor Snape."

Harry vaguely noticed that his voice was oddly calm, almost as if he had merely made a comment about the weather. Much to his surprise he hadn't finished, "For unnecessary aggression and disrespect towards a student."

He was now flicking almost casually through his potions textbook, not daring to look up as the Potions master loomed over him. Part of him was quite pleased with how well the plan seemed to be working, he could just see in his mind the expression on Snape's face. The silence stretched as Snape continued to look at him and Harry resolutely kept his eyes on his book. He began to worry about what Snape was going to do to him.

"Out!"

Harry didn't move a muscle.

"I said get out!" bellowed Snape.

Harry thought it was better to do as he was told whilst he was still breathing. He leapt out of his seat and was out of the room in an instant. He didn't even bother to collect his things or tidy his desk.

OOOOO

"Do you think he'll kill you in your sleep or wait until our next lesson?"

Ron dropped Harry's things on his lap before flopping down into the chair next to him. The three of them were once again sat in the Gryffindor common room, which was almost empty due to the fact that most of the students were still in class.

"Well if he's waiting till our next lesson he'll be waiting a long time because there's no way I'm going to set foot in the dungeons ever again."

"I think we might be better of trying something a little different," Hermione's voice sounded grim.

"I think we should try moving to Brazil," muttered Harry.

"I mean we should try doing things that freak him out rather than making him angry, at least till he calms down," she explained.

"And I bet you already have a few ideas," sighed Ron.

Hermione gave them a slightly mischievous smile.

OOOOO

'So Potter was in on it too. Which means if Potter, Granger and Miss Weasley were involved it was a safe bet that Mr Weasley also had something to do with their silly games.'

Severus Snape was sat in his office contemplating more ways to get his revenge, looking very much like a Bond villain with one of the five rabbits (all called Minerva) sleeping on his lap. He smiled evilly.

OOOOO

Ginny sat with her head resting on her hand, doodling almost absent-mindedly, waiting for her potions lesson to begin.

"Today we will be brewing the Accelero potion, instructions are on pages 253 to 255," Professor Snape informed the class. "Oh and good news for those of you running low or rabbit feet, I have a fresh supply on my desk, there will be no need to talk you may begin."

Ginny's head snapped up to look at him in horror.

'He wouldn't.'

Snape was looking at her smiling nasty as if he knew exactly what she was thinking.

'Yes he would.'

OOOOO

Severus Snape was in a good mood. He had worn that same smile all day much to the distress of his students. Even the thought of marking essays wasn't going to ruin his good mood. Then again he could be wrong. He had just picked up Ginny Weasley's homework. The first thing he noticed was a large heart scribbled in the corner of the page with the words 'cute Harry' written neatly inside of it. He deducted five marks from her homework and wrote a harsh note about putting graffiti on her essay. Thank god none of his other students were stupid enough write drivel like that on their essays.

Twenty minutes later...

"Cute Neville?"

OOOOO

"Are you sure Ginny," asked Ron. "He might not have."

Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny were huddled in a corner of one of the unused classrooms where the students were spending their break due to the pouring rain. Ginny had just finished telling them about her potions lesson and her concern that Snape might have harmed the rabbits they had been sending him.

"It might just be some trick to get us back," Hermione suggested. "I wouldn't put it past him."

"I'm telling you he killed them to use in potions, you should have seen the way he was looking at me," Ginny seethed. "I'm going to McGonagall, there's no way she'll let him get away with what he's done."

OOOOO

'Did she really think Longbottom was cute?' Severus pulled a face at the thought.

She couldn't possibly think he was good enough for her. She's way too smart.

'She might be in love with him. She's always tried to help him in lessons.'

His stomach knotted unpleasantly at the thought.

A.N. Accelero – Speed in Latin. Rabbits feet were once used in potions to increase speed.