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Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

The Potions Master

[Page 140 - The Potions Master]

"Why is this chapter named after Snape?" Ron complained out loud, but not loudly enough for the said professor to hear. However, Snape sharply turned his head to glare icily at him, causing the youngest Weasley son to shiver uncomfortably.

"How am I supposed to know? I didn't write this book."

"But it is in your perspective. So everything came out from your head!" Ron pointed out, smirking rather smugly. Harry scowled at him. Really, first his life gets told to everyone in the Wizarding World to hear, and now his friend was criticizing the chapter titles. At times like this, playing pranks on some annoying people - who might have red hair and loads of freckles on his face - sounded really inviting. Perhaps this was why the Weasley twins were pranksters?

[Page 140 - "Wearing the glasses?" "Did you see his face?" "Did you see his scar?"]

"Bloody scar." Harry grumbled, rubbing his infamous scar as if he did that, it would be erased. The blond Ravenclaw saw it and cocked her head to the side. "You do realize you could just illusion yourself so it looks like you don't have any scar, right?"

Mouth opened wide, Harry stared at Luna for several seconds. The said girl frowned worriedly and waved her hand in front of the teen's face. He blinked and seconds later, he was hugging Luna tightly grinning madly.

"Oh, my god! That's really brilliant, Luna! Thank you so much! Why didn't I think of it before? I'm so stupid! I should check the library during the next break. Just imagine, no one will realize I am Harry Potter and won't gawk at this stupid scar!"

"I'll help you, Harry. If I remember correctly, I read about this book that contained information about basic illusioning charms. We can work on that first and then we can continue working onto more difficult ones!" Yelled the certain bushy-haired Gryffindor, also bouncing up and down on her seat in barely contained excitement. Soon, the two were off to their own world, chatting happily about how they were going to make this work. Ron merely stared at them, shaking his head disgustedly.

"Library? Seriously? Harry just got Hermione's curse! I just know it!"

"'Hermione's curse'? Really, Ronald?" George shook his head amusedly.

"What? No normal person should read so many books! Except for Ravenclaws, but still!"

"I still can't believe she isn't in Ravenclaw." Terry muttered to himself at this, and all students agreed. The Gryffindor duo were oblivious to what was happening around them, and they continued their rapid conversation. It was so fast that none of the others could follow what they were saying. Luna and Tonks had also joined in, commenting on her metamorphmagus ability (Tonks), and saying some odd but still helpful remarks (Luna). It should have been impossible for them to understand everything the two were saying, but somehow, they managed.

[Page 140 - There were a hundred and forty-two staircases at Hogwarts.]

"And how do you know the exact number of staircases?" Ernie raised one of his eyebrow at the teen. Harry blushed slightly, and managed a half-shrug in response. "Don't tell me. You actually counted everything? Were you so bored that you decided to do that?"

"I didn't actually counted everything! I noticed that there were about seven floors and each floor contained about twenty staircases, and if you add two that lead to the dungeons..." Harry trailed off as he saw everyone staring at him. "What?"

"You have so weird hobbies." Ernie shook his head, ignoring indignant shout from the teen-"It's not my hobby!"-and turned his attention back to the book.

"Why does everyone ignore me and give me looks like that?" Harry all but whined, pouting like a little kid.

"You mean this look?"

"Yes, that one! Knock it off, Fred!"

"Oh, you mean this look make you uncomfortable?"

"George!"

"Boys! Knock it off, will you!" Katie shouted at them, and the twins immediately wiped the looks off their faces. Harry grinned gratefully at her, and the Gryffindor chaser ruffled his hair fondly. She always had some soft spot for the seeker. He was like a younger brother she never had.

[Page 141 - ...sneak up behind you, invisible, grab your nose and screech, "GOT YOUR CONK!"]

Tonks frowned when she saw Remus smirk at that. "What? Why are you smiling like that?"

"Well, let's say that Peeves didn't know those tricks until certain people decided to teach him." Weasley twins' jaws dropped when the realization dawned on them. "The Marauders taught him how to do that? Awesome!"

Not for the first time, Harry wondered what their reactions would be if they ever found out about the Marauders' identity. Probably throwing themselves to the ground in front of Sirius and Remus, kissing their feet repeatedly and praising them. He snickered to himself when he pictured how Sirius and Remus would react to that. Although Sirius might enjoy attention, he wouldn't want that much, and it was highly likely for them to be horrified at the twins' reactions, especially Remus.

[Page 141 - Harry and Ron managed to get on the wrong side of him on their very first day.]

"What? What did you do? How did you even get on Filch's bad side on your first day?" Hermione gripped Harry's arm, utter terror present on her face. Really, what was wrong with people? All of them acted as if he would drop dead in every opportunity, and he was right next to them, alive and quite healthy, excluding some emotional stress from his numerous near-death experiences. So once again, the emerald eyed teen tried - unsuccessfully - to pry off her fingers to let his blood circulate like it's supposed to do and reminded them, very slowly so he could deliver the message clearly, how he was sitting there with his heart beating regularly.

"Hermione. I'm not dead. Could you please let go of me so some blood can flow?" Harry deadpanned, and let out a relieved sigh when the witch immediately let go, sheepish expression on her face. "Right. Well, I hadn't charged head-first into any life-threatening situations and Filch hadn't tried to kill us, if that's what you were worried about." Harry paused for a moment, then added. "At least, he hadn't tried to kill me in Voldemort's way. You know, really trying to kill me. Filch is, well, Filch. Its no secret that he loathes every students."

Hermione frowned at that logic, but grudgingly accepted it in the end. "So what actually happened?"

"Well, we were kinda caught trying to get into a door that turned out to be the entrance to the corridor on the third floor?"

"You were trying to do what?" Hermione shrieked, her previous calm posture forgotten. "What were you thinking? Why on earth would you want to go to there?"

"Hey, we didn't know that was there." Ron immediately defended himself. "Besides, if I had known what kind of things were in there, I wouldn't have even thought about going near that blasted place!"

"Same here! I mean, why would I even go there?"

"I'm clearly missing something, here." Neville muttered, looking between the bickering trio. "Are you gonna fill us in or what?"

"It will be explained in the book." The three of them chorused at once and they resumed back into their verbal fight.

"You know I'm getting really tired of that reply." Neville remarked dryly, but the trio didn't seemed to hear him.

[Page 142 - The students all hated him and it was the dearest ambition of many to give Mrs. Norris a good kick.]

"I know. Mrs. Norris is so annoying!" Dean whined, than suddenly perked up in interest. "Say, have you kicked her?" He fixed the Golden Trio with his intense gaze, and the Gryffindors squirmed a bit, uncomfortable.

"Well, we did have a chance once, but Harry here stopped me." Ron pointed accusingly at the raven haired teen, his voice sullen. Harry immediately squawked in protest. "Hey, we were in a hurry!"

"Unbelievable." Dean breathed out, ignoring Harry's comment. "You actually had a chance, and you didn't? Are you insane? How can you waste such an opportunity?"

"For the last time, I am not insane and we were in a hurry!"

[Page 142 - There was a lot more to magic, as Harry quickly found out, than waving your wand and saying a few funny words.]

"Spells aren't just some random words!" Hermione corrected him, and took a deep breath before launching into very long and detailed explanation about the process of how to invent proper spell. Most people tuned her out immediately, but Harry was rather fascinated at the concept of making his own spells. For the second time, the two Gryffindors got caught up into their own world as they chatted endlessly about how they could invent some of their own spells. They didn't notice Ron shaking his head, stating firmly that they were indeed 'cursed', as he put it.

[Page 142 - ...they went out to the greenhouses behind the castle to study Herbology, with a dumpy little witch called Professor Sprout...]

"'Dumpy little witch'? Are you implying that Professor Sprout is fat?" All Hufflepuffs turned to stare at the teen who was blushing rather furiously. "Uh, I meant no offense?" He tried, not at all looking comfortable with the attention he was getting.

"You had better not." Susan managed to mare herself sound stern and gave the Gryffindor dark and angry look. However, she dissolved into helpless giggles when Harry let out a frightened squeak. "Aw, did I scare you, Harry?"

The hopelessly confused boy took in the laughing Hufflepuffs until the realization dawned to him. "You tricked me." Susan's smiles widened.

"Who knew the mighty Boy-Who-Lived will get scared of a mere Hufflepuff girl." She teased playfully, and earned a swat aimed for her arm.

"Oh, shut up, Susan. Besides, women are downright frightening when they are angry. Um, no offense."

[Page 143 - "Anyone messing around in my class will leave and not come back. You have been warned."]

"Well, not everyone will be kicked out of Transfiguration class even after making a mess." Remus grinned up at his former Transfiguration Professor. Ginny looked up at the werewolf, her eyes wide and round in curiosity. "What do you mean?"

"Well, James always caused some kind of trouble at least once in three days. But fortunately, he was quite talented in Transfiguration, so he was forgiven. At the most, he was sent to the Headmaster's office for his troubles, but he lasted through all seven years, not getting kicked out."

[Page 144 - "Wish McGonagall favoured us," said Harry.]

"I do not treat some students specially just because they are my favorites, Mr. Potter. I would like to think that I am rather fair." Professor McGonagall told him. Professor Sprout, however, nudged her discreetly and winked at her. "But you do have favorites, don't you, Minerva?" She then eyed the Golden Trio, who were unaware of them talking about them.

"Oh, be quiet, Pomona. It's not like you don't have any favorites." Retorted the cat animagus as she swatted away the Herbology professor's hand.

[Page 145 - By the end of the first Potions lesson, he knew he'd been wrong. Snape didn't dislike Harry - he hated him.]

"Excuse me? Did I hear correctly or did my hearing went bad? 'Cause I just heard that Snape doesn't dislike Harry Potter." Fred gasped in mock horror, placing his hand over his heart. George immediately followed his lead. "The world is going to end!" He wailed, utter terror plastered on his face.

"Shut it you two." Harry grumbled, making a face at the twins. "You didn't even hear what I was going to say next."

Snape, on the other hand, was trying his best to ignore furious and disapproving glare from McGonagall and I-am-very-disappointed-in-you-we-will-talk-about-this-later look from Dumbledore. Honestly, why was he of all people expected to treat that brat fairly and nicely anyways? Curse that stupid Boy-Who-Lived-To-Annoy-Him!

Snape didn't dislike Harry - he hated him.

"Ah, that makes sense." Fred grinned a bit sheepishly. "Our sincere apologies, Mr. Potter." George said, shaking his hand firmly while trying to make his voice as serious and as business-like as possible.

"Stop that. It doesn't fit you guys. Plus, you sound like those Ministry idiots." Harry made a face, and the twins immediately stopped pretending to be serious. Everyone ignored Fudge and Umbridge's outraged splutters and Percy Weasley's face, which was steadily growing red. Whether it was from anger or embarrassment, no one knew.

[Page 146 - Hermione Granger was on the edge of her seat and looked desperate to start proving that she wasn't a dunderhead.]

"Harry!" Hermione let out an angry squeak as her face turned into a bright red. Harry could swear that he could see a steam coming off from her due to the embarrassment. Snickering didn't help either. "I did not look desperate to prove I'm not a dunderhead!

"What? It's true! You were dying to prove yourself smart to him." Harry defended himself only to be targeted by Hermione's angry rant. He wondered how she even said that much without even taking one breath.

"I feel for you, mate." Ron muttered as the bright witch bombarded the teen with scolding. Too late, Harry regretted the way he defended himself. He should have just apologized. That would have saved him from getting yelled at his very embarrassed and red friend.

[Page 146 - "Potter!" said Snape suddenly. "What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"]

"That question isn't even a first year material!" Professor McGonagall hissed angrily, looking like her animagus-self. She narrowed her eyes at the Potions Master. "Honestly, Severus, you shouldn't hold a grudge against a dead man to his son! Harry isn't James!"

"You've got to control that temper of yours." Professor McGonagall said while frowning, only to be awarded by a death glare and a sneer from the Potions Master. The Transfiguration professor only rolled her eyes at this. Although she knew how the Marauders humiliated him during his school year - after all, she had been the one who had took the most points and gave tons of detentions to them - he couldn't keep going like this. To her, the whole idea of holding a grudge against a dead man was ridiculous!

"Excuse me? Could you please explain to me what you are talking about?" Umbridge asked sweetly, her clipboard present on her hand, ready to write every flaws she could find. McGonagall turned towards her stiffly, holding her nose high into the air and staring down at her as if she was just an annoying toad that she would love to get rid of. Which in a way, was true.

"Oh, I don't think so, Dolores. It's nothing important to be your concern." She waved her off, ignoring how she flushed into lovely shade of scarlet and started scribbling furiously onto her clipboard.

[Page 148 - "And a point will be taken from Gryffindor house for your cheek, Potter."]

"That's so unfair. You can't keep taking points off like that." Ginny scowled, crossing her arms and glared in defiance at the Potions Master. Snape, in return, glared back at her with so much intensity that normal people would have instantly tried to avoid. However, the girl with fiery red hair didn't back down and held her ground. Snape mentally scowled. Idiotic annoying brat! How dare she disrespect him like that?

But when he glanced at the Potter brat, his heart clenched painfully when his eyes locked with emerald eyes. Lily's eyes. Though its colors were slightly dulled because of the glasses, it was same eyes of the only friend he had during his childhood. It was only then when he fully realized how he had completely failed Lily. He had sworn he would protect her child, but he became a tormenter of her son and didn't even notice he was being abused, and he of all people should have been able to recognize the signs. After all, majority of the Slytherins have experienced some form of abuse.

'I am so sorry, Lily. But I promise you, I will really protect him from now on.'

Snape mentally vowed to himself, praying that she would be able to forgive him for his past acts.

[Page 149 - He let them in, struggling to keep a hold on the collar of an enormous black boarhound.]

"Fang may be big, but he's a complete coward." Hagrid, Harry, Ron, Hermione, Neville, and surprisingly, Draco remarked.

"Unless yeh attack him first, he wouldn' harm a fly. Even if you do threaten him, he won't really hurt yeh." Hagrid explained, anxious to not let anyone have any misunderstanding about his beloved pet.

"Uh, I know how Hagrid might know that. But how do you," Cho pointed at Harry, Ron, Hermione, Neville, and Draco, "know that he's a coward?"

"The book will explain." Harry replied, while Draco muttered that sounded like, 'Forbidden Forest, first year', and Ron said something about, 'big, hairy, disgusting, man-eating spiders'. To say people were worried about heart failure was an understatement.

[Page 151 - "Hagrid!" said Harry. "That Gringotts break-in happened on my birthday! It might've been happening while we were there!"]

People who hadn't known this particular information turned to their neighbors who gladly filled them in. Noticing how everyone were whispering excitedly about how Gringotts might have been robbed, Harry idly wondered how they would react to the truth. After all, they hadn't even considered the probability of him telling the truth about Cedric's death, so what were the chances of them not saying the whole book was made of entire lies and just ignored everything they read so far?

"Wait a minute. Hey, the robbing happened on Harry's birthday!"

People gasped as they realized the same thing. The whispers increased as they tried figuring out what had really happened. Professors, on the other hand, knew everything that had happened, and they merely raised their eyebrows at this. So that was how the three Gryffindors got themselves involved in that incident.

"Did you found out the truth about that event, Harry?" Asked the very excited Gryffindor. Even Slytherins seemed to be interested in hearing the answer, though they pretended to be otherwise. Harry sighed as all eyes were trained on him, and replied rather sullenly.

"Yes, I did. But I won't explain it now since the book will explain it."

"That's the end of the chapter." Luna called out. "What an interesting way to finish the chapter, Harry. It makes me to read the next one as fast as I can."

"Well, I didn't actually write that-" The rest of the sentence got lost in his mouth as a bright light filled the Great Hall once again. Everyone had their wands ready, but this time, they were a bit more calm. Two thumps could be heard, and when the light disappeared, everyone's jaws dropped open. No one could believe what they were seeing and Ron summarized the whole thing in two words.

"Bloody hell."