Sorry about the longer than usual wait, but I'm happy to say I've gained a beta. Thanks to ddamato for beta'ing this chapter.
This is Harry's first Potions class. Snape may be slightly out of character in this chapter, however, you will get a chapter with his point of view on the same events and that will explain a lot. That will be chapter 12.
Thanks again for all the reviews, they really do brighten a writer's day.
Chapter Ten
When Harry Potter entered his first Potions class to find that Ron didn't want to talk to "another slimy Slytherin", he already knew it was going to be a bad class. He couldn't answer any of Professor Snape's questions, and while Dudley could, Harry stopped looking forward to Potions -- even if it did sound just like cooking.
The first week for Harry was an adventure. Even with Prefects showing them around the castle, it was still far too easy to get overwhelmed. They had had all their subjects except Potions by now, and everybody had decided on their favourite teachers.
Professor Quirrell was a stuttering idiot who had been written off by everyone in Slytherin --including Professor Snape, if you listened to the rumours.
Professor Binns had bored the socks off of them before Teddy remembered that, at breakfast, Professor Snape had announced that there would be a quiz in their History class. Harry almost respected the tactic, which ensured that no first year Slytherin was going to sleep through the lesson like the Gryffindors claimed they had.
Harry had been looking forward to Transfiguration since Professor McGonagall had written him letters about the classes, and he wasn't disappointed. His first class with her had been enjoyable, however he had noticed that Professor McGonagall did not seem to like any of the other Slytherin students. Thanks to Malfoy being an arrogant idiot, they had lost their first five points in Transfiguration. In Charms with Professor Flitwick, they earned the five points back when Malfoy managed the levitation charm perfectly. His smug smirk in Harry's direction pushed Harry to stop pretending that he couldn't do the spell; he was the next person to accomplish the spell. Harry almost regretted this, as he was sure that Dudley hadn't accomplished the spell, but Professor Flitwick's proud smile and awarding of points soothed his anxiety.
Now it was Friday morning, and the Slytherins were looking forward to their first lesson with their Head of House. Harry also had his meeting with Professor McGonagall that afternoon.
"So we've survived Charms, History of Magic, Herbology, Astronomy, Transfiguration, History and Defence. Now we've just got to cruise through Potions and we're home free." Teddy had been looking forward to Potions all week and Harry was cautiously optimistic. According to Malfoy, who'd had tutoring from their Head of House over the summer, Professor Snape accepted nothing less than the best from his students. But Harry hadn't been able to do his best in any class that week because he was too afraid that Dudley wasn't going to have good grades. If Dudley didn't have good grades, then Uncle Vernon wouldn't be happy with Harry for having better grades than Dudley.
"I hope Professor Snape doesn't pick on me for answers again." Harry had struggled on Wednesday when Professor Snape had quizzed them all on History. Harry's nervousness around their Head had not diminished; combined with his own bad penmanship, he had barely been able to stutter out an answer in front of their Head of House and his Housemates. It annoyed Harry that he had finally found a weakness other than his flinching. He didn't want to be afraid of their Head of House, yet he couldn't stop himself from fearing the intimidating Professor. Of course, it didn't help him that Malfoy had delighted in his stutter while Professor Snape had become increasingly agitated before finally asking Blaise the proper answer. Harry almost flushed with embarrassment just thinking about it.
"That won't happen in class; house pride, remember? Even if Snape doesn't like you, he wouldn't embarrass you in front of the Gryffindors." Teddy had shown himself to have a happy-go-lucky attitude that was coupled with a fierce protective streak.
"I think I'm the exception, Teddy. Remember yesterday?" Harry cringed, remembering the way Professor Snape had stormed up to him outside the Great Hall, demanding to know why he hadn't presented himself for his medical examination. Harry was waiting for the bruises to lose their colour before he went, but then he'd noticed that the bruising around his ribs was probably because they were fractured again, which the nurse would probably find. He couldn't think of a reason they might have gone untreated, and he could hardly tell her that the reason he didn't notice them for two weeks was because he was too used to that kind of pain.
"He was just concerned. He looks after his Snakes, and you're making his job hard. Why are you avoiding going to the infirmary anyway? Everyone has to go, and if you don't, Snape will just drag you there -- and that'll be as embarrassing and as uncomfortable as he can make it. Are you scared of the nurse or something?" Teddy was genuinely concerned, Harry could tell. He wished he could just tell Teddy why he didn't want to go, but he knew that if he did tell, Teddy would want him to tell Professor Snape or McGonagall. Teddy had asked Harry why he liked the strict Head of Gryffindor earlier in the week, and seemed satisfied with Harry's answer. At least, satisfied enough that he realized Harry would rather go to her than Professor Snape with his problems.
"Is the Boy Hero scared of a nurse? How pathetic." Malfoy's mocking tone sounded from across the table, where he was sitting with his fan club. At least four girls and three boys in their first year sat with him at all times; Harry and Teddy were disgusted by it. Harry really couldn't see the attraction.
"Considering, Mr. Malfoy, that you almost had to be dragged to your own medical, I would not be making unproven accusations of fear." Harry jerked at the sound of Professor Snape's voice behind him.
"I'm not scared, sir. I just don't usually go to the doctor when I'm not sick." Harry decided to protect his pride but he was well aware that he had good reason to be cautious of going to the nurse's office. He really didn't want anyone to find out about Uncle Vernon.
"Perhaps not, Mr. Potter; but you have still ignored my request that you receive a medical examination. It does not matter whether you thought it useless or not, you will still act on my request. As both you and I have class right now, I will be escorting you to your meeting immediately after your Potions lesson." Professor Snape seemed even less happy with Harry than usual, and Harry almost cringed at the thought that he now had Professor Snape as a teacher.
"Yes sir."
"Harry has a meeting with Professor McGonagall this afternoon, sir." Harry wondered how Teddy had got into Slytherin; he was far better suited to Hufflepuff.
"Mr. Potter will still have time to attend the meeting after he goes to the infirmary. I will make his excuses to Professor McGonagall if he is late." With that, Professor Snape stalked away, snapping at some Ravenclaws who didn't move out of the way quickly enough.
"Hmm, I wonder what's eating him this morning?" Teddy seemed a little off put by the Professor's attitude. "He's actually in a bad mood. Usually he's not really in such a bad mood. He just snaps because he doesn't want anyone to think he actually likes us. I suppose he might be in a bad mood because he has to teach Gryffindors." Teddy shrugged and stood up from his bench. "Come on Harry, or we'll be late."
Harry knew that Teddy probably didn't know for sure about Professor Snape's mood, but he had to ask.
"How do you know that he's in a worse mood than usual? He seems the same as every other day. At least to everyone else, that is. I'm not surprised he's angry at me today, all things considering." Harry glanced over and saw Teddy tense at the question Harry was asking.
"I'm just really good at guessing people's emotions. Mother asked Dumbledore about it a few years ago, and he told me that I have to learn Occlumency to help block it out. Professor Snape's meant to be helping me this year." Teddy was being careful about what he said, Harry could tell.
"What's Occlumency?" Harry asked, curious.
"It's the 'art of protecting your mind against unwanted outside intrusion.' At least that's how Professor Snape describes it." Teddy had a lilt to his voice as he imitated their Head of House's aristocratic tone. "It does help but it's really difficult being in school. Because there's so many people and kids aren't really very good at controlling their emotions. That's why I had to have my check-up straight away; I needed more Headache Remedies." Teddy shrugged as if this was a fact of life.
"That's kind of cool. But how can people intrude on your mind?" Harry looked over at Teddy as they followed some Gryffindors downstairs into the dungeons. Harry realized that it was Hermione, Ron and Neville, who he hadn't seen since their sorting.
"I'm not allowed to know until I'm old enough to use it responsibly." Teddy actually looked like he wasn't that interested.
"That sucks. Hey, I think those Gryffindors are lost. Should we show them the way?" Harry pointed to the Gryffindors.
"Yeah, I suppose." Teddy hadn't been enthusiastic about Harry's stories of spending time with the Gryffindors on the train. "Oi, Lions! Potions classroom is this way!" Teddy beckoned toward the corridor leading to the dungeon classroom.
"Hi Harry. How's your first week been?" Hermione looked happy to see him and Harry thought that perhaps she had been a little marginalized by her House. She was too smart to fit in easily with the reckless, thoughtless Gryffindors.
"Great, how's yours been?" Harry noticed that Ron was sending glares at Harry and Teddy's Slytherin crests.
"Well the classes have been so interesting. I loved Transfiguration and Charms. History was so interesting, and Defence seems to be a lot of theory. Neville liked Herbology." Here Hermione looked over at Neville, prompting him to join the conversation.
"Yeah, Professor Sprout's really nice. And I've always like plants." Neville was confident enough around Harry that he only talked to the floor instead of stuttering his way through the sentence.
"We liked Herbology. I think Defence was a joke though." Teddy offered an olive branch to the Gryffindors in the form of conversation.
"Defence is the best subject we've got. Just because it's not taught by your precious Head of House, or another Slytherin!" Ron jumped to the defence of Professor Quirrell, bristling with anger.
"I didn't mean it like that! I just meant that he's not even teaching us first-year materials. It's just random things that he supposedly learnt on his travels." Teddy was insulted by Ron's accusation and his insult to Slytherins. "And as for only liking Slytherin teachers, I happen to think McGonagall is quite a good teacher, and she certainly isn't a Slytherin, now is she?" Teddy swept angrily past the Gryffindors and entered the Potions classroom as Professor Snape opened the door.
"Nice, Ron." Hermione snapped, as she followed Teddy into the classroom.
"Thanks, Ron. I spent all week trying to convince him Gryffindors were a good sort. Now he'll write you all off like everyone else in Slytherin." Harry allowed himself to feel angry at Ron's petty hate of everything Slytherin.
"That's just fine with me. I don't want to be friends with sneaky Snakes anyway. Everyone knows that snakes will just stab you in the back." Ron growled at Harry.
"Yeah, because at eleven, one stupid hat can really tell you who you're going to be in seven years." Harry couldn't believe Ron's stupidity.
"Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley, if you would please get a move on. Unless you are so arrogant that you wish the whole class to wait for you." Harry flinched at the venom in Professor Snape's voice.
"No sir. Sorry sir." Harry had learnt that apologizing usually calmed angry adults down and he didn't want Professor Snape too angry. He slipped past Professor Snape and sat down next to Teddy in the second row back. Professor Snape followed them in and shut the door.
*"You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion making," Professor Snape began. His voice was soft, but everyone quieted down to hear him. "As there is little foolish wand waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you to really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses... I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death – if you aren't a big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach."*
Professor Snape finished with a sneer, locking his eyes on Harry, then on the Gryffindors. Harry was yet to find out why Professor Snape hated him, but he was sure that being lumped in with the Gryffindors was evidence that he did indeed hate him with a passion.
Teddy stiffened next to Harry, making Harry sympathetic. If Harry was having trouble with the tense atmosphere, then Teddy was probably dying.
Professor Snape began to read out the roll, checking off names as they answered. He paused at Harry's name.
* "Mr. Potter. Our new celebrity."* He spoke softly and slowly, annunciating every word.
"Here sir." Harry gave the most neutral response he could manage while trying not to be upset by Professor Snape's vendetta. He'd certainly not asked to be a celebrity. In fact, judging from the ugly look on Dudley's face, he'd love it if the Professor would ignore it completely. Malfoy's snickers in the row behind him added to his rising resentment.
The most annoying thing was that Harry actually thought he'd be good at Potions. All his cooking for the Dursley's could easily lend itself to a good grasp of Potions, and would suit as an excuse for being better than Dudley. Now it looked as if Professor Snape was going to make this class far too difficult to be enjoyable.
Harry tuned in to Professor Snape's instructions as he finished reading the roll.
* "Potter," said Professor Snape. "What would I get if I added powered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?" * His eyes glinted as he asked Harry this.
Harry froze, panicked. Even if he'd looked forward to Potions, they hadn't been able to find a second-hand book, so he hadn't had a chance to read ahead in Potions like Professor Snape had obviously expected them to. "I, um, I don't know, sir."
Professor Snape raised an eyebrow, obviously sceptical. * "Let's try again. Where would you look if I told you to find me a bezoar?" *
Harry ducked his head and stared at the desk in shame. Hermione was straining her hand toward the ceiling with her eagerness to give the answer. "I don't know, sir."
"Did you even crack a book before you entered this room, boy?" Harry barely resisted sinking down in his chair. * "Last try. What is the difference, Potter, between monkshood and wolfsbane?" *
At this Harry looked pleading at the Professor. He merely raised the same eyebrow, as before. "Well, Potter?"
"I'm sorry, sir, but I don't know." Harry felt the Slytherins around him tense. It was common knowledge that Professor Snape's Snakes had a reputation to live up to and Harry had just blown that out of the water.
Professor Snape's lips curled into a snarl. * "For your information, Potter, asphodel and wormwood make a sleeping potion so powerful it is known as the Draught of Living Death. A bezoar is a stone taken from the stomach of a goat and it will save you from most poisons. As for monkshood and wolfsbane, they are the same plant, which goes by the name of aconite.* These are three facts that you will encounter during this year. That is, of course, if you care to open a book at all." Harry literally flinched at the snarled comment. Snape turned to the board and began to instruct them in the potion they were making today.
"Harry, where's your book? Snape'll kill you if you don't have it out now." Teddy whispered to Harry, keeping an eye on Snape.
"There wasn't any at the second-hand bookstore. I was going to ask Professor Snape for one during class." Teddy stared at him in open amazement.
"You came to class without a book?! Are you insane? You could have just asked him earlier this week." Teddy had taken his eye off of Snape and when his head snapped up toward the suddenly quiet teacher, Harry could barely contain his feeling of dread.
"Mr. Potter and Mr. Nott. Are you aware that this is a class not a common room? If you two have gossip to share, then save it until after class is over. A point from Slytherin for talking out of turn." Harry dropped his head to the desk with a quiet thud. He was well and truly done for now. Snape never took points from Slytherin; all the upper years said so. "And Mr. Potter, where is your book?" Snape's voice had gone even quieter and Harry could guess by Teddy's fearful expression that the quieter Snape's voice got, the angrier he was.
"I don't have one sir. I was going to ask you for one during class." Harry resisted the urge to address the desk, remembering that Snape had lectured them on eye contact being a sign of respect, and to always give it to teachers. He had already disobeyed that once this lesson.
"Detention, Mr. Potter. Next time you are without supplies, direct your concerns to either me, as your Head of House, or a prefect before the relevant class." Snape accentuated his title with a raised voice, and almost the entire class shrank back. Even Malfoy was blissfully silent, waiting with bated breath to see just how angry Potter could make his godfather.
"Yes sir." Even in the silence, Harry's reply was almost inaudible.
"The rest of you, get to work. If you do not know how to chop ingredients, find a partner who does." Snape swept over to a cabinet behind his desk, and after bending to retrieve something, stalked over to Harry. He deposited a battered copy of the first year Potions text on Harry's desk with a bang. "Tell me, Mr. Potter. Why does your cousin, who lives at the same residence as you, have a brand new book, while you do not have a copy?" Harry shot his eyes upwards, staring straight into Snape's eyes for the first time. The black eyes bore into his, making him squirm. Or perhaps it was the thought of Snape of all people finding out about the Dursley's. The man had enough ammunition to make his life miserable for quite a while for just being his Head of House, let alone knowing that he was abused. Being Harry, he didn't miss the slight widening of Snape's eyes, but he was too caught up in his fear of Snape to do more than acknowledge it.
"My Aunt and Uncle didn't realize that Dudley and I wouldn't be in the same House, Professor. They thought that we would be able to share." Harry quickly made up a lie, experienced in covering up the Dursley's unusual (abusive) behavior.
"Does that mean, Mr. Potter, - Mr. Nott, get on with your Potion, Potter will help you in a moment," Harry caught the exasperation in Snape's tone, and decided that Teddy's more Hufflepuff tendencies could probably get annoying to their overly Slytherin teacher. "- that you do not have a book for any of your classes?" Snape finished his sentence where he had left off, and Harry missed his chance to answer promptly while he was sorting out what had been said. "Mr. Potter, I am not a patient man, and you are wearing on my last nerve." The growl from his Professor set him straight.
"The Potions book was too expensive to buy two, sir, and Aunt Petunia remembered that my mum had said that she always had a partner in Potions. They thought we could share." Harry was glad that he'd suppressed the hurt in his voice at having to talk about his mother, but he knew from Snape's visit to Surrey that mentions of Lily Potter tended to throw him off track.
"As you have already said, Mr. Potter. Repeating yourself conveys a lack of conviction; either believe what you are saying or do not say it. In other words, do not lie to me." Harry flinched back when Snape bought his hands down on the desk in front of him and leaned in. "We will finish this conversation another time. Until then, help Mr. Nott with his Potion." As quickly as he had walked up he was away, prowling around the classroom, watching for mistakes.
"You are really in for it, Harry. You just can't help getting on his nerves, can you?" Teddy seemed to be half joking and half warning and Harry managed a weak grin in response.
"Yeah, because that's my goal for this year; see how long it takes Snape to break down and kill me. If this lesson's anything to go by, I'm not going to see my second week at Hogwarts." Teddy snorted then turned serious.
"Harry, I know Snape's a bit harsh to you," here he paused as Harry snorted. "But he's a good bloke and Merlin help you if you hurt one of his Snakes. And as much as he doesn't seem too fond of the idea of you being a Snake, he can't change that and he will honour that. And if he's really scaring you, go to McGonagall. Rumour has it that she's the only one apart from Dumbledore that will stand up to Snape about anything, and she likes you." Harry was stunned, knowing that for a Slytherin like Teddy, to suggest going to the Head of Gryffindor for anything was a big deal.
"Does he hate me that much?" Harry glanced around to where he had seen Snape before and realised that the Professor had moved on.
"If I have to tell either one of you to concentrate on class instead of chatter again, both of you will regret it. Am I clear?" This time when Harry flinched, he almost knocked into Teddy. Professor Snape had appeared at his side and reached around him to doctor their potion while he had been otherwise occupied.
"Yes sir." The boys answered in chorus, and sharing a look, decided to get down to work.
Class didn't exactly pass quietly, but Harry was lucky to not need to go to infirmary when Neville destroyed his potion. Neville himself looked like he might faint when Snape had hissed his order. Teddy seemed to be concerned more for the Professor than Neville but their potion was too important to stuff up for them to worry about Neville for more than a few minutes.
For those of you who are wary of Teddy's ability to sense emotion, it's not a superpower. It's just accidental magic in the form of Legilimency. It may disappear as he gains more control or I might make it more under his control. For now, it's just a little quirk.