Detention

The school year was getting more and more complicated as the days went by. The month had passed in a whirlwind of events. Every time Harry turned around, there was good news only to be followed by bad.

Good: Harry, Jason and Hermione got a few more answers from Hagrid about the Philosopher's Stone. Fluffy wasn't the only one guarding the stone, a number of professors were on hand to give towards the cause.

Bad: Snape was one of the professors. The irony of that bit of information was not lost on the three students, even if Hagrid denied the remote chance that they were right about Snape.

Good: They were there in Hagrid's hut to witness a dragon hatch. Hagrid promptly named it Norbert.

Bad: Draco had witnessed the event as well. True to his Slytherin nature, Draco didn't immediately run to a staff member. He chose to withhold this information until a more opportune time, goading Hermione, Jason and Harry with barely veiled threats at every turn.

Good: Harry enlisted Ron's aid in contacting his brother, Charlie the dragon tamer. Charlie agreed to take Norbert off their hands and was sending friends to pick Norbert up.

Bad: Dealing with Norbert became tricky, not to mention Hagrid became more emotionally attached. Ron was curious about the dragon and readily agreed to help Hagrid with a feeding it, only to be bitten by Norbert. Ron was sent to the hospital ward; they learned the hard way that Norbert's bite was poisonous.

Good: Draco found out about Norbert's move from Hagrid's care to Charlie's; got caught on top of the Astronomy tower before the midnight transfer and got detention.

Bad: Harry and Jason received detention shortly afterwards and worse, Neville was caught along with them. Neville had his heart set on returning Harry's good deed by coming to the rescue and warning Harry about Draco's ploy. Unfortunately McGonagall found him first.

All things considered, Harry wasn't sure how he felt right then, other than utterly exhausted and he wasn't allowed to rest just yet. In all the excitement of that evening, Harry had forgotten his invisibility cloak at the top of the tower. That in itself was bad. Snape knew of Harry and Jason's detention and were summoned to his office… immediately. In Harry's mind, that news was far worse.

Draco was leaving Snape's office as Harry and Jason arrived. Their encounter was less than pleasant, yet short lived.

The three boys were roughly the same height and build. Jason was a few centimeters taller, Draco was a centimeter shorter and Harry was in the middle. Yet somehow, even being the shortest of the three, Draco managed to appear to be looking down his nose at the other two.

Harry stood staring at Draco's nose, wondering exactly how the boy was pulling off that feat. Draco's lip curled into its customary sneer. "You'll pay for this, Potter."

Not to be outdone, Harry's emerald gaze challenged Draco. Standing straight and confident, Harry refused to back down or be intimidated. Harry noted how his name always sounds like something disgusting passing Draco's lips as if he was spitting it out rather than speaking the name. Harry also noted the small waver in Draco's voice belying the barely contained rage. His lip curled into a mocking smirk, "You're alone, Malfoy. You haven't got it in you to face us."

Jason snorted. Whatever was to follow was cut short by the clipped baritone command from within Snape's office, overriding any further discussion between the students. "Mr. Potter, Mr. Vaisey. In my office. Now."

Harry squared his shoulders and mentally adjusted his learned façade. Fighting the urge to appear meek when he slipped past Draco, Harry stepped forward with confidence to stand beside Jason to face Snape and his wrath. Jason gave a small nod of deference, "Yes, sir."

Snape was wearing his customary black flowing robe with buttons and more buttons on each sleeve. Even past midnight, Snape looked in complete control and the angry glare directed at him had Harry's stomach squirming. The professor snapped at Harry, "Close the door."

Closing the door in Draco's face gave Harry a brief moment of satisfaction. Harry moved back to his positions in front of Snape's desk. Harry mentally counted to ten to calm his nerves. The sparsely furnished room was exceedingly tidy. Shelves of ingredients, specimen jars, and potions, broader bookcases filled with books, a set of weights for the delicate golden scale sitting beside it. Harry's eyes swept the room curiously before Snape cleared his throat gaining his immediate attention.

"Explain yourselves." The barely contained anger and loathing in Snape's eyes weighed on Harry. Jason stood stoic, his expression hadn't changed since entering the room. Harry on the other hand dropped his gaze to hide his shame.

Harry wanted to speak plainly, openly, honestly. He wanted to explain it all but if he did Harry knew he'd still be in trouble and worse, get Hagrid and others in trouble. Jason and Harry discussed the topic during their walk down to the dungeon, weighing the pros and cons. Jason pointed out to Harry that speaking up would cause more damage than good.

Jason eventually convinced Harry to keep the truth quiet. Closing his eyes, Harry tried a different approach. "My actions are my own, it wasn't thought out, I admit, but…" Excuses? No, Harry wouldn't hide behind excuses and insult Snape. Chancing a glance at the professor, Harry tried again with no excuses, just acceptance. "I'm sorry I failed you, sir."

"Oh?" Snape rose from his chair to step over towards the fireplace, effectively turning his back on the two boys. "And because you apologize, feigning remorse, I'm simply to overlook this grievous mistake in judgment and make things right for the esteemed Boy-Who-Lived and his cohort?"

"Wha-" Harry shook his head in earnest allowing Jason the opportunity to interrupt him.

"Neither of us is feigning remorse, sir. Not in the way you're implying. Do we regret our actions? No. Do we regret letting you down? Yes." Jason glanced at Harry and he nodded emphatically.

"We fully expect to be punished and do detention." Harry began, but stopped short when Jason nudged him.

Snape's lip curled when he heard the soft growl of frustration from Harry. "Of course you will serve your detention. I told you before, Mr. Potter, that there will be no special treatment for you. I will not make excuses nor-"

"Sir, with all due respect, I don't want special treatment. I don't know this Boy-Who-Lived!" Harry blurted out before he could stop himself.

"Harry!" Jason hissed as he tried to rein his friend in.

He swallowed hard, fighting back the tears of frustration that glittered in his eyes. He just raised his voice to the Head of Slytherin House, the man who could very well expel him, kill him… something. Harry didn't know and at the moment, didn't rightly care. How many times was that persona going to be shoved down his throat? He didn't ask to be the Boy-Who-Lived. Maybe he'd be better off dead with his parents. With his eyes squeezed shut, Harry pressed on. "No, Jason. I can't be this Boy-Who-Lived that everyone seems to have an opinion of. I don't know him. I'm Harry Potter. I'm just a first year student at Hogwarts, grateful to be allowed to go to this school and honored to be a Slytherin."

"Honored to be a Slytherin?" Snape turned then and looked at the distraught boy. The desperation, eagerness and fear were blatant and unmasked in Harry's gaze. The young man struggled to push down his raw emotions allowing his hard earned mask of indifference slowly slip back into place. Snape watched as Harry took a calming breath before meeting his gaze again. The truth still shone in Harry's eyes before the shutters dropped into place. Snape's onyx eyes roamed the boy's face taking in his demeanor and softly said, "Your father is turning in his grave to hear you say such a thing, boy."

"Sir?" Harry stared blankly at Snape not sure how to interpret the hint of humor that dripped sarcasm in the professor's tone.

"There is no need to confirm or deny your actions or intent during this evening's events. Mr. Malfoy has already supplied me with the letter from one Charlie Weasley with date and time of a rendezvous. Even without young Malfoy pointing out the obvious, anyone with half a brain knows only Hagrid would house a dragon on school grounds." Snape suppressed his curiosity as he looked at the two boys. "I expect six inches on the bezoar, where it is found, properties and uses by the end of potions on Friday. This along with your regular homework and do not be late for your detention."

Snape raised an eyebrow as if silently asking why the boys were still in his office. Realizing that that was their dismissal, Jason gave Snape a small nod before they made good on their escape. "Good night, Professor."

Naturally this was not the end of their troubles. Harry and Jason had lost fifty points each for Slytherin along with Malfoy's twenty; that was a huge loss of house points and put Slytherin in last place for the first time in six years. Word spread quickly and Harry took the brunt of the blame. Neville's points deducted were also blamed on Harry, but that couldn't be avoided. At least Ron explained to Neville what had happened so the boy was no longer angry with Harry.

Blaise laid his fork down on the table at breakfast, folding his hands before speaking. "Do you remember near the beginning of the school year, we talked about your manners?"

Harry froze, slowly lowering his glass to the table. He looked at the empty plate in front of him. He hadn't eaten anything. Harry hadn't touched a thing except the pumpkin juice. What could he have done to embarrass Blaise? Harry looked at the boy, "Yes."

"When you get detention and lose fifty points, that's worse." Blaise peered at Harry. "Just tell me it was worth it."

"It was, I swear." Harry watched the fleeting emotions appear and disappear from Blaise's face. Finally Blaise nodded, accepting Harry's response and returned to his breakfast.

Exams were quickly approaching and Harry had thrown himself into his studies. Jason stared absently at his own text and Hermione was scheduling their study time to keep them both out of trouble. While Harry appreciated her efforts, her nagging was getting on his last nerve. "Listen, Granger, we need a break. Just one afternoon, it's a fabulous spring day and we're cooped up in this barmy library again."

Jason looked up from the faux quiz Hermione had made up for them with hope gleaming in his eyes. "Just a couple of hours, Granger. Not even a full afternoon. Please?"

Hermione was outraged at first but before any of them knew it she broke down in a fit of giggles. "I never thought I'd live to see the day a Slytherin snake would beg me for mercy."

The truth in her words were more than he could stand, Jason groaned and launched himself at Hermione, tickling her relentlessly. "Evil woman!"

Squealing and laughing, Hermione finally broke free from Jason. Only the damage was done, the three students were thrown out of the library by Madam Pince for being too loud. Hermione was beyond embarrassed, simply mortified, but Harry and Jason were elated with their new found freedom.

They were talking and walking towards the stairs when Harry stopped in his tracks groaning. "I forgot my homework." Harry glanced back towards the library, "I know she's annoyed, but she wouldn't keep that from me, right?"

Jason smirked, "She's not annoyed with you as much as me and Granger. Hurry up. We'll wait for you."

Hermione harrumphed and smacked Jason's arm. "It's your fault, Jason Vaisey!"

Laughing Harry jogged back to the library. Glancing towards the back of the room, Harry saw his chance. He dashed in so he could grab his parchment and skipped back out before he could be caught by Pince.

Harry's steps slowed down when he got back to Jason and Hermione. The scene playing out before him had a strange feeling of déjà vu. Jason was standing close to Hermione invading her personal space while her back was pressed against the wall. What really tied the scene into the déjà vu category was a professor - in that case it was Quirrell muttering to the air - walking in the other direction.

"What did I miss?" Harry watched Quirrell's retreating back before he noticed Hermione's deep red blush as she released Jason's class tie. Without a word, Jason moved away quickly to the open classroom door feet away confusing Harry further. "Vaisey?"

Hermione grabbed Harry's arm, pulling him closer, her voice a low urgent whisper. "Someone was threatening Professor Quirrell, only we couldn't hear who it was."

Jason made it back to them shaking his head. "No one is in there, but there is an open door in the back. Whoever was threatening him could have gone out that way."

"That makes no sense; usually at the back of a classroom is a professor's office, not a back entrance." Harry rubbed the back of his neck trying to piece things together. He dropped his hand and asked, "So whose idea was the 'kiss'?"

Hermione blushed and dropped her gaze, "I didn't really kiss him."

"Oh, don't sell yourself short, Miss Granger. That was one very hot non-kiss." Jason smirked as Hermione's blush deepened.

"Just better hope no one saw that stunt, you'll get a reputation, Granger." Harry teased. "You're supposed to be my girlfriend, but you're in the halls kissing my best friend."

Hermione gasped, "But I didn't…"

Harry laughed and pulled Hermione along with him. "Come on, let's go outside. I'm going stir crazy in this castle."

Upon leaving the castle for the first time since the incident on the Astronomy Tower, Harry paused to take a deep breath. "Ah, freedom. I forgot how sweet it smells."

Wrinkling her nose, Hermione waved a hand in front of her nose, "That isn't freedom. If it is, it smells icky."

Hedwig and a barn owl swooped down towards them. Hedwig circled once and landed on Harry's shoulder. The barn owl hovered before Jason and dropped his note in the boy's extended hand. The boys read their notes and simultaneously groaned.

"What's wrong?" Hermione pet Hedwig with a finger down her soft white chest. Hedwig gently nipped at Hermione's finger causing Hermione to jump and giggle. Hedwig flew off with a soft hoot, tousling Harry's hair as she took flight.

"Detention," Jason sighed heavily, "I forgot about that."

"Me, too." Harry and Jason compared notes finding them identical.

Jason gave a shudder, "With Mr. Filch at eleven tonight? That can't be good."

Hermione bit her lip with worry and Harry gave her shoulder a gentle encouraging squeeze. "We'll be okay, Granger. No matter what we've done, they wouldn't possible allow us to die."

Hermione was trembling, looking close to tears. "Harry! What a horrid thing to say."

Harry winced. "Sorry, I meant that to make you feel better."

"Well you failed. Now I'm really worried, Harry." Hermione crossed her arms in front of her trying not to look overly upset and failing.

Sighing softly for being an insensitive prat, Harry wrapped his arms around Hermione and just held her. "I'm sorry, Hermione."

Edited 10/03/2016