Chapter 11: The Slytherin in Gryffindor
"Aha! There he is!"
"With those students?"
"Yes, next to the tall one with the red hair."
Harry looked behind him as two determined men strode forth, wands out. Ron and Hermione glanced, too.
"Are you looking for me?" Harry said with cold boldness.
The men faltered, and one furrowed his brow in confusion. Both pairs of eyes did the usual flick up to Harry's scar. Quickly composing himself and smiling politely, one of them said, "Ah, Mr. Potter, excuse me, I mistook you for someone. Have a nice day." At that, they both gave a curt nod and disappeared down the hallway.
Harry stared after them. "Wonder who those people were."
"Are you kidding?" Ron said excitedly. "You don't know who they were? They're some of the best Ministry Aurors! At least, they had Auror robes. But they don't usually come to Hogwarts- beats me what they're doing here."
"Well, since You-Know-Who has risen now, I'm sure we'll be seeing them all over for security reasons," Hermione said.
When they got to the Great Hall, they were surprised to find it in an uproar, especially near the Slytherin table. As they sat down next to Fred and George, Harry saw Neville give him an uneasy glance.
"What's going on?" Hermione asked them. The twins shook their heads in ignorance. "Everyone's-"
"Go look for yourself," Neville said solemnly, pointing toward a clump of Slytherins and Ravenclaws huddled between their tables.
Just as Harry, Ron and Hermione were about to go to see what the commotion was, Malfoy strode out of the crowd toward him.
"So, Potter, or, should I say, Snape," Malfoy said maliciously, causing Harry to scowl, "Missing your daddy already?"
"Harry's father is none of your business, Malfoy," Ron said, "Unless you want to debate your potions grade with him."
Malfoy smiled even wider. "But he is when he turns up on the front page of the paper," he said, wielding a crumpled Daily Prophet.
At closer look, Harry saw that other Daily Prophets were what was causing the raucous in the Great Hall. He lunged and grabbed for the paper, only to have Malfoy pluck it away. Finally, Hermione strode to Malfoy, ripped the newspaper out of his hands and stared at it. Harry and Ron also bent over to see it; Ron ended up seeing it, and snatched it up, staring horrifically at it. Malfoy, pleased at the commotion he had created at the Gryffindor table, sauntered back to his place.
"WHAT IN THE WORLD?" Ron bellowed, attracting the whole table's attention. More people crowded around him like the clump at the Slytherin table. "That bloody bastard!"
Harry, who had gotten mixed into the crowd of people craning their necks to see whatever Ron was reading, resignedly went to sit down at the table until Ron could come over and show him the article in peace.
But instead of Ron coming and sitting down civilly, he stormed over and practically collapsed onto the seat next to Harry. Hermione also came up, looking grave.
"What's the matter, Ron?" Harry tried to look at the paper, but Ron had his head buried on top of it. Ron finally sat up- his eyes were a little red- and thrust it into Harry's hands.
Harry blanched at the title.
HOGWARTS PROFESSOR IS ACCUSED OF BEING YOU-KNOW-WHO'S RIGHT HAND DEATHEATER
Severus Snape believed to have killed the Norwegian Minister of Magic and Percy Weasley, Head of International Relations
Following the headline were two memograms; one was of the Death Eater with the scar from the newspaper of so long ago, when Percy had been killed, and the other picture was a new one; it showed Snape striding down the Hogwarts corridor, sporting a replica scar.
Harry looked up to Ron, who looked very disturbed. "Ron, don't worry, I'm sure that my father wasn't the one- he's a spy for Dumbledore," he said, hoping to calm down his friend.
Ron looked up strangely. "Oh, yeah- he is your father, isn't he? I remember." He looked down to the article. "Why don't you read it for yourself."
Harry took it up and read:
HOGWARTS PROFESSOR IS ACCUSED OF BEING YOU-KNOW-WHO'S RIGHT HAND DEATHEATER
Severus Snape believed to have killed the Norwegian Minister of Magic and Percy Weasley, Head of International Relations
By Lita Skeeter
Since the tragic attack July 25 this summer, dubbed the "Ministry Massacre," the Ministry of Magic has been searching the wizarding world for any signs of Death Eaters- especially the one who is said to have been You-Know-Who's right hand during the attack. This man, who was not identified there, stood next to the Dark Lord himself and killed Percival Weasley, the new Head of International Relations, and the Norwegian Minister of Magic. A week ago sources at the Ministry had confirmed that they had found the man who was ordered to kill Mr. Weasley. In fact, it was none other than Hogwart's expert potions master, Severus Snape. This news was startling, and Minister Cornelius Fudge waited for more evidence of this until he took it was true. Consequently, when a Ministry member walked down the walls of Hogwarts, he caught a glimpse of Snape that looked almost exactly like the picture obtained from the attack.
Severus Snape has had a history of brief loyalty to the Death Eaters long before You-Know-Who's fall from power fourteen years ago. However, since then he has spied religiously for Professor Albus Dumbledore, the headmaster of Hogwarts, so it is certain that he has been present in in You-Know-Who's ranks. However, this event leads the Minsitry to uncover where his true loyalties lie. Today, Aurors were sent to Hogwarts to bring Snape to the Ministry for questioning, and we will finally get to the bottom of the Ministry Massacre.
When he had finished the article, Harry put it down in amazement. Was it possible that Snape, his father- and Dumbledore's trusted spy for many years- could have been majorly involved with the attack the past summer?
Well, Harry thought to himself, He has been very touchy about any mention of that, and about any mention of Ron and his brother. Harry mentally shivered, thinking of what could happen if Snape really did turn dark. He had quite a temper, which could turn quite nasty when he was set on being nasty. However, Harry learned from the many times he had talked with his father that he respected and revered Dumbledore greatly- and he would probably never turn against him.
Harry turned to Ron, who had his head buried in his arms once again. He felt the blood drain out of his face- this was not at all usual for Ron to do. He glanced worriedly at Hermione and Ginny, who sat next to her.
"He was like this all summer after you left," Ginny said, motioning to Ron. "We were hoping that it wouldn't go back to this."
"You mean about Percy?" Hermione asked. "I would never have known he would take it this hard…"
"Yes," said Ginny, nodding dejectedly.
Hermione glanced at the article again. "Well, it's not like you can really trust everything you read here. It was the Scandinavian minister, not the Norwegian minister. And look who it's by." She pointed at the reporter- Lita Skeeter. "That doesn't sound good at all."
At the end of breakfast, Harry and Hermione had only picked at their food uncomfortably while Ron had stayed in the exact same position the whole time.
"Ron," Hermione said, nudging his arm a bit, "It's time for Transfiguration."
She and Harry waited as Ron slowly lifted his bag and finally trailed behind them. Through all of Transfiguration class, the three sat silently, trying to transfigure their scarves into thick garden snakes, while the rest of the class was filled with murmurs here and there while they transfigured the scarves. Professor McGonagall thought it odd, but relieving, that everyone was quiet and paying attention to her.
Hermione was finally able to transfigure the scarf, McGonagall gave her rare and extravagant praise (trying to break the unnerving quiet), but Hermione just sat and stared at the snake- which still had skin that looked a bit like wool, although it was the right color.
Harry was absentmindedly staring at his scarf, poking his wand at it and faintly watching the sparks that emitted when he did so.
What'sssss wrong, boy? You ssssseem a little dissssstracted.
Harry snapped out of his reverie and looked at Hermione's snake, but ignored it and turned back to his scarf.
Are you cold? I am a ssssssscarf- I can fixxxx that, the snake said, starting to slither up Harry's shoulders and around his neck like a scarf.
Get off me! Harry practically shouted, shoving the snake onto the desk. You're a snake, not a scarf! Unfortunately, this attracted many cynical stares from his classmates.
"Will you stop talking snake language, Potter?" Harry heard from right next to him. He whipped around, and saw that the speaker was Ron.
"I- I was just telling it-"
"To go bite someone? Yes, I know exactly how Slytherins' minds work."
Harry and Hermione stared horrifiedly at Ron, who shot him a cold look in return. Others were also gawking at Ron and the snake.
"He's lost it this time," Hermione whispered. Turning to Ron, she said, "Now that's enough, Ron. He doesn't-"
Hermione was interrupted when her snake, which she had been trying to transfigure back, lifted its head right level to Harry's face and said, I am a SSSCARF, not a ssssssnake!
Look at yourself, Harry hissed. You're a snake. Now get OUT of here!
This burst of anger, especially since it was in Parseltongue, sent students backing up hurriedly. Professor McGonagall leaned over to see what the commotion was about, and called to Hermione to transfigure the snake back. Hermione, however, had gotten quite scared of it as it flashed its fangs to Harry in annoyance.
McGonagall strode over in a huff, ready to transfigure the snake back herself. Seeing the snake hissing furiously at Harry, she also backed up, but eventually summoned her courage and transfigured it into a disgruntled-looking scarf.
"Class is dismissed," she called to the tumult that was the students, "And please leave calmly!" However, her instructions were in vain as a mob of people stampeded toward the doorway, all eager to leave the classroom. Professor McGonagall stared as Harry tried to pack up his stuff quickly, as well. "Are you alright, Mr. Potter? That snake looked quite murderous-"
"I'm fine, Professor," Harry retorted. "Good bye." He stormed out of the classroom to catch up with his friends before his professor could respond to his unintentional rudeness.
Harry finally caught up with them, panting for breath. Hermione looked at him worriedly. "Are you okay? The snake…"
Ron cut her off. "He was talking to it, weren't you, Harry?"
"I was telling it to back off," Harry said, annoyed.
"Then why didn't it?"
"It was a stubborn snake. It thought it was a scarf!"
"Oh really…" Ron said cynically.
"We've got Potions next," said Hermione, glancing at her timetable.
"With the git! With the death eater! No, I am not going-" Ron twirled around and marched the other way, only to have Hermione grab him and pull him forward.
"Ron, I doubt that Snape will be there after that article. He wasn't even at the professor's table this morning," she said.
"He wasn't?"
"No! He probably hid somewhere so that no one would stampede him- I mean, whether the article's true or not, I'm sure there are people who would stampede him for it. Or…"
"Or?" Asked Harry, not wanting to hear the answer.
"Well… I can't help but wonder if the Aurors we saw this morning were- were-"
Ron glared into the air. "Were going to try and get him? Good thing to do, death eaters like him deserve to be locked up! To die!"
Harry couldn't stand this anymore. "Ron! Snape's not a death eater. He's a spy."
"A spy, indeed! Spying for You-Know-Who, I bet. How did you know that, anyway?"
"He told me himself."
Ron scowled deeply at Harry. "I should have known. I should have known!" He said, pointing accusingly at Harry. He saw that they were at the door to the Potions classroom, and reluctantly followed Harry and Hermione in.
"Should have known what?" Hermione asked.
"I should have known! I suspected it all along and I never told anyone! You've been sneaking out to socialize with that death eater almost every night and you're sure to have been conspiring with him the whole time!" Ron yelled, attracting the glances of all the Gryffindors and Slytherins who had gotten there already. He collapsed into a desk next to Seamus Finnagan and glared at Harry.
"What's going on?" Asked Seamus, looking between Ron and Harry. Dean Thomas also looked interested in the quarrel. "What haven't you been telling everyone?"
"Yes, it's true! Potter, here- Snape, I mean- sneaked out each night after we all went to bed, to come down here and be with that slimy Slytherin! I can't believe I didn't realize it before. He's been associating with death eater scum!"
The other Gryffindors, Hermione included, looked uncomfortably at Harry (who had gone completely white).
"I was just trying to get to know my father better! He's not a real death eater, anyway. How many times do I have to tell you that?"
"You had all the summer to get to know your father," Ron said, saying the word "father" with utter disgust. "He killed my brother. And now you tried to kill me, just then! You set the snake on me, with that- that language of yours!"
"I wasn't trying to-"
"It had its fangs bared at me and everything! You were talking to it."
"But it was telling me-"
Harry was interrupted by the door swinging open, and Professor Lupin striding in hurriedly.
"I'm so sorry I was late. Now, class, Professor Snape is, well… gone… So he left a lesson plan. You are all to get out your equipment and brew the next potion in your textbooks- I think that that would be the finger-strengthening potion." Professor Lupin looked around the classroom, eyes falling worriedly on Harry (who was pretty much isolated in the corner of the room, since Ron had herded everyone away from him). "Harry, why don't partner up with someone? Here, it looks like Neville needs a partner."
Harry sighed, piled all his ingredients into his cauldron, and dragged it to the front of the room. As he unpacked all his things, Neville glanced fearfully at him and took a tiny step back.
"Don't worry," Harry sighed. "I didn't do anything bad. Ron's just paranoid of me because of his brother, probably."
Neville relaxed the slightest bit, but Harry could see that he was still quite tense. "So- so you d-didn't, er, try to do anything in Transfiguration?"
"No," Harry said, flipping to the right page in the textbook. "Actually, the snake thought it was a scarf. It got very-er, annoyed at me when I told it that it was a snake." Harry smiled slightly.
Surprisingly, Neville relaxed quite a bit, and chuckled nervously. "Well, that-that would make s-sense," he stuttered. "If it were a- a scarf before."
"Yeah, I suppose so," Harry said, relieved that Neville believed him. Sometimes, gullibility could come in really handy.
They continued to add the ingredients and stir the potion in silence, with Harry correcting Neville every minute or so.
"Oh, wait," Harry said, watching Neville hold a handful of runespoor fangs above his potion, ready to drop them in. Neville put them down and looked at the textbook again.
"What am I doing wrong?" He asked, looking bewilderedly at the six teeth in his hand. "The potion calls for six runespoor teeth."
"Yeah, but I think I remember Snape telling me something- yes, it was for runespoors- you always add runespoor ingredients in groups of three."
"Like this?" Neville said, taking three of the fangs and holding them over the potion.
"Wait- no- more like, you divide everything into three groups and then put each group in," Harry said, nodding as Neville arranged them into three groups of two. "That's it."
Neville slowly dropped each pair of teeth into the potion, which turned light blue and fizzed softly. "Why do you need three?" He asked.
Harry shrugged. "I think it has something to do with the runespoor having three heads," Harry said. "It's all in the appendix."
"Thanks. Look! It's turned the right color!" Neville grinned broadly. "I practiced this potion last night- you know, so that maybe I could get it right in front of Snape- but I couldn't do it. Was that what was wrong all the time?"
"Yep. Was it red in the end instead of purplish-yellow?"
"Yes… How did you know?"
"That's what color it was when I first tried it, too."
"Have you really been coming down here each night?" Neville eyed Harry warily.
"Yes, but mostly to make potions. Snape is obsessed with potions."
"He wasn't been- you know- t-teaching you anything bad?"
Harry laughed. "Of course not! Unless you count potions as being bad. Let me guess- Ron fed you that?"
"Well, he did tell us- never mind. That's good." Neville sighed and continued to stir his potion.
At the end of class, Harry and Neville's potion had turned a shimmering purplish-yellow, just like the book said that it should be. Professor Lupin peeked into their cauldron and said, "Well done! This looks almost perfect. 10 points to Gryffindor. Look, class, Harry and Neville have done it!"
Ron glared once again at Harry, and quite audibly whispered something about it being hereditary. Professor Lupin, who had witnessed earlier displays of nemenistic behavior of Ron toward Harry, tried to ignore it.
"Anyway, class is over. Please clean up your potions- I assume that you'll know how to correctly."
Harry wiped off his spoon and cleaned up his ingredients. He lifted the cauldron to the side of the classroom and tipped it over the edge of the sink, smiling as the sweet fumes mingled with his greasy hair.
Neville came up to rinse off the measuring cups and wrinkled his nose at the smell. He also timidly retracted when he saw Harry scraping the potion from the bottom of the cauldron.
Harry raised his eyebrows. "Are you okay, Neville?" He asked kindly.
Neville relaxed again, and said, "Sorry… but you look so much like- like S-Snape…"
Harry sighed. "That's alright," he said.
Ron did not even wait for Harry when he left- and, since he pulled Hermione along with him, she didn't either. Harry went back to the Gryffindor common room by himself after saying goodbye to Professor Lupin.
When he got to the common room, he was not welcomed or acknowledged at all by the other Gryffindors. In fact, it seemed as though Ron had spilled his gossip to almost the whole house- and, the tales started getting taller and more unlikely. However, everyone just lapped them up, believing them to be true since they came from such a reliable source as Harry's closest friend.
Neville was the only one who believed in Harry, probably because of their time during that first Potions class. He also claimed that it was so surprising to see a Snape look-a-like actually be nice to him. However, when around their classmates, Neville couldn't talk with Harry much because the others shielded him (although they did partner up in classes a lot).
Snape paced his office, getting his lesson plans ready for the day. First, second year Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs (dreadfully boring and frustrating)… Then 5th year Slytherins and Gryffindors. Argh. At least Draco Malfoy and Harry were in that class; Harry had become sufficiently good at potions with his tutoring, and Draco had always been such a good, hardworking student.
Snape was just wondering what kind of essay he should assign the third period 6th years, when he heard an urgent voice at his fire.
"Severus!"
Snape snapped his head around to see Dumbledore's head in the fire, looking grave. "What is it, Headmaster?"
"You must leave, and right away. I have received information that the ministry is sending some Aurors to take you to the Ministry. Now, I do know that you are a spy, but Cornelius will have none of it; you must leave quickly, as the Aurors will be here in about an hour."
Snape had gone completely white. He stood up and jerked his cloak on.
"Do you have somewhere to go?" Dumbledore asked urgently.
"Yes, yes," Snape said, thinking of Brevland's house. Surely he would accept him. "Thank you greatly, Professor." Snape grabbed his wand and strode out of his office.
As he guided his Firebolt in a streamlined dive, Harry reached out and grasped the Golden Snitch by its beating wings. After stopping abruptly in midair, he lowered it down and walked over to where the rest of the Gryffindor quidditch team was standing.
"I got the Snitch, Fred," he called out almost exasperatedly.
Fred Weasley, who was now co-captain with George, gave him little more than a glance of recognition. "Then go try it again!" He huffed loudly and resumed talking with the other players.
Harry let the Snitch go, and caught it for a few more times. Seeing that practice should be just about over, he walked back over to the huddle and tried to look over their shoulders to see what they were talking about- but he only heard a snippet of conversation.
"So, about how many people should try out for the new seeker position?"
"As many sign up, I suppose-"
"New seeker position???" Harry exclaimed, trying to see over the heads at the clipboard George was holding.
No one really acknowledged him at first- only stray glares toward him. Then someone- Harry wasn't sure who, because he couldn't see- said, "If you want to play so badly, go sign up for the Slytherin team!"
Harry scowled, and looked towards Fred and George.
Fred nodded. "Right you are. We'd rather lose to Slytherin…"
"Than have our team- ahem- tainted," finished George with a haughty air about him.
At first, Harry was a bit too stunned to say anything. He glared back at them, and stomped off the field.
Fine then, he thought, They can have it their way.
As he walked back to the castle, Harry thought about what had been happening in the last couple of weeks. Ron must have taken Percy's death very badly, for every time he looked at Harry he wanted to avenge his brother's death in any way possible. After that last Potions class, Ron had, indeed, told the whole Gryffindor house that Harry had been working with Snape since July, and that he probably helped plan Percy's death (no matter how much Harry denied it). It was as if it was second year all over again, with people accusing him of being Slytherin's heir… only this time, Gryffindors were accusing him of being a death eater, and none of Harry's friends believed him except Neville.
Speaking of Neville…
"Hi Harry," said Neville as he ran up to him in the corridor.
Harry snapped up and muttered, "Hello."
"What's wrong?" Asked Neville, frowning.
Harry sighed. "The Quidditch team just all but kicked me off the team," he said. "They're holding tryouts this weekend.
Neville stared at Harry in horror. "But- you're our best seeker! No one else will be as good as you!"
"But, no… that doesn't matter, does it?" Harry said sarcastically. "They think I'm going to up and join the Slytherin team."
It took Neville a couple minutes to overcome that astonishment.
"Oh, Harry! I'm so sorry! Well, don't worry, it will be okay soon. Dumbledore will work everything out."
Harry smiled a tiny bit. "Thanks. I bet it will."
They reached the tower, and plopped down on a couple of armchairs in the corner of the common room.
After they did their homework for about fifteen minutes, the rest of the Quidditch team tromped in, trailing water since it had just started to rain. Harry saw Fred posting the announcement for a new seeker on the Gryffindor bulletin. Harry sighed, and continued with his astronomy homework.
"Hmmm… The moon's phase tommorow night will be almost full, so… that means that it will cross Orion's path…" he muttered to himself (mostly doing his homework out loud for no apparent reason). And then he realized something…
"Hey! Isn't the full moon the day after tommorow?"
"I suppose… that's what the chart says," Neville answered.
"I hope Professor Lupin can take his potion, since Snape's gone."
"Potion?"
"So that he doesn't lose his mind when he transforms into a werewolf."
Neville shivered. "So he really is a werewolf?"
"Yeah. But it doesn't show at all in his personality, does it?"
"Nope." But Harry sensed that Neville was actually quite scared at this prospect. "Does Snape usually make it?"
"Yes, and I helped him with it the last two months."
As the night progressed, Harry began to feel guilty and more guilty about the idea that Professor Lupin might not get his potion. Finally, he screwed up the courage to go and just make sure that he had the potion, because he did not think that he would be able to sleep with that hanging over him. So, he made his way down to Professor Lupin's office and knocked a few times.
Lupin let him in. "Harry? What brings you down here at this hour?"
Harry sighed. "Well, I just wanted to make sure you had your wolfsbane potion- I mean, with Snape gone and everything. Ever since I remembered that, it's been hanging over my head all night."
Professor Lupin smiled a bit and said, "Yes, I thought about that as well. I have no idea where Severus is, and God knows Professor Dumbledore is so busy right now. I suppose I could always go to the Shrieking Shack if there isn't anything else."
"Sir- if you want, I can see if I can make it. Professor Snape was teaching me how."
Lupin raised an eyebrow. "Really, now? Yes, I think I remember him saying something like that… I just don't want to take any risks at all, especially if a student made it. I usually take it and go to the Shack anyway, just in case…"
After thinking a while, he reached into a drawer- which held dozens of little gizmos and gadgets- and pulled out something that looked like a muggle thermometer.
"If you have time to make some, I could always test it," he said, handing the themometer to Harry. Instead of temperature markings, it had markings of conscience; 100%, at the top, was labeled, 'human mind,' 80% was labeled, 'Take precautions,' 60% was labeled, 'DANGER: Low conscience level: Do Not Use Unless Direly Desperate,' and the bottom was marked, 'Wolf mind: Do not rely on this potion at all under any circumstances."
"I suppose I can use some that is 80%-100%," Professor Lupin continued, "But do you have time? I don't want anything to take off from your studying."
Harrry sighed again. "Oh, I have time alright. The quidditch team just practically kicked me off."
Lupin shot him a worried look. "They did? Listen, Harry. I've been seeing that you and Ron haven't really been getting along quite well. Is everything alright?"
Harry laughed inwardly- things were not alright at all. "Well, he's blaming me for Percy's death, and getting the rest of the house to blame me, too. Other than that…"
Now, Lupin looked very worried indeed. "That's not just anything, Harry. I'll talk to Ron about it."
"No, don't," Harry said. "He'll just think that I put him up to it."
"Well, I'll see what I can do about it-"
"Seriously, please don't. I mean, I do appreciate it and everything, but the way it's going, I don't want it to get worse."
Lupin sighed. "I'll talk to Professor Dumbledore about it. That won't make it worse."
"Thanks a ton," Harry said.
"And in the meantime," Lupin continued, "If you're really up to making that potion, then I don't want to hear that you've been slacking off because of it. Although… it would be nice if you could…"
Harry chuckled a bit at that.
"Now, you should be getting to your dormitory. It's quite late, and I don't want you going back after-hours."
"Alright, bye, Professor," Harry said.
"Bye, and see you in class on Monday."
As Harry walked back down the corridor to Gryffindor tower, he faltered when he saw the steps toward the dungeons.
Without really thinking, Harry turned to go down them. In any case, he did not want to go back to his dormitory, because the other boys- Ron especially- would just taunt him and "protect" Neville from him. And there were probably still people in the common room. No, it would be much better down in the dungeons, where it was deserted because Snape wasn't there.
When he got to the door to Snape's office, Harry gently pushed on it. Thankfully, it was unlocked. The office held a kind of familiarity for Harry, for he had come here many, many times earlier in the schoolyear to talk with Snape or to look for potions books.
His eyes scanned the middle shelf and fell on a very ugly gray, orange and brown book. Harry pulled it out; it was named, "Dangerous Medicinal Potions of the New Age." He quietly took it to the potions classroom and flipped the page to the marking at "The Wolfsbane Potion- 1989." He dragged a silver cauldron over to a desk, and started to make to make the potion.
Harry finally finished, three hours later at 1:00 am. He had put much meticulous care into it, and it seemed to bubble with a normal green color. Judging by the reeking smell, it seemed very ready.
Harry bottled up the potion so that no one would smell it and stuck it in a pocket inside his robes. making sure to clean everything up very well, he finally took a last look around and left the dungeon.
Harry stealthily tiptoed up to the Fat Lady's portrait. He thought he heard Peeves, banging around as if it were day and not the middle of the night, but Harry was able to sidle around the corner before he was seen. When he got to the portrait hole, he gently knocked on the frame to wake up the Fat Lady and said the password, "Northern Lights."
The Fat Lady opened one eye, yawned, and swung open the portrait without saying anything. Harry suspect that she had gone right back to sleep.
Luckily, there wasn't anyone in the common room, and when he climbed the stairs to his dormitory, everyone was asleep. Harry was extremely tired as well after making the potion, and he went right to sleep without even putting on his pajamas.
The next day, when he got up, he found that he had slept in quite a lot, and everyone was gone.. Fortunately, it was Saturday, and a Hogsmeade weekend at that. Harry didn't exactly care to go and spend the day with his friends, so he just went to the Three Broomsticks for a butterbeer and then came back to Hogwarts to study for OWLS (having finished all of his homework).
At the end of the day, Harry decided to give Professor Lupin the potion since the full moon was the next day. Lupin tested the potion with his wolfsbane-thermometer, and to Harry's surprise, it showed up a good 92%.
Harry walked back to the Gryffindor Tower, and when he got to the Fat Lady's portrait, he said, "Northern lights" without even thinking. However, he was caught quite off guard when the portrait hole didn't open, and the Fat Lady said, "I'm sorry, my dear, but that's the wrong password."
"Did you just change it?" Harry asked incredulously.
"I'm afraid so," replied the Fat Lady. "You can ask some other people, though."
"Okay," Harry sighed, and turned around to see if he could find someone who knew the password.
Luckily, a troop of Gryffindors came, but before Harry could ask them what the password was, they whispered it to the Fat Lady.
Just as they were climbing through the portrait hole, Harry asked them, "Wait! What's the password?"
On a second glance, Harry saw that Ron was in the group. Ron looked at Harry coldly and said, "Why should we tell you?"
"Look, I need to get to my trunk. At least let me get in," Harry said exasperately.
"Why don't you go back to the Slytherin common room? It's bad enough that you know where this one is."
Harry was now extremely annoyed at them. "You can kick me off the Quidditch team, you can ignore me all you like, but you can't change my house, for goodness sake! The sorting hat put me in Gryffindor."
"Only because you asked to be in Gryffindor," Ron retorted disdainfully. "You told me last year that it was about to put you in Slytherin." Before Harry could say anything else, Ron slammed the portrait behind him.
Harry stood there, staring horrificly at the portrait. Finally, he spun on his heel and huffed of down the hall. There was only one thing to do- go to his Head of House.
He reached Professor McGonagall's office, but Harry stopped when she came out of her office before him.
"There you are, Potter. The Headmaster wants you to come to his office," said McGonagall.
Harry raised his eyebrows. "But, Professor-"
"No, you are not in trouble," she said, although that was not what Harry was going to ask her about. "Run along now. I don't know what he wants you for."
To Harry's annoyance, McGonagall walked briskly down the hall.
Harry dejectedly turned down the hall to go to Dumbledore's office. Aren't things just going perfectly today, he though sarcastically.
Harry knocked the knocker at Dumbledore's door, and pushed it open when he heard the Headmaster say, "Come in." He was surprised to see that not only was Dumbledore there at his desk, but both Snape and Sirius were there. Sirius, as usual, looked very uncomfortable sitting in a chair right next to Snape; he gave him frequent looks of loathing. However, it was quite odd, because Snape just lounged in his chair, looking very comfortable indeed, and… smiling broadly?
When Harry came in, Dumbledore smiled at him and said, "Hello, Harry. It is fortunate that-"
"Can I talk to my dear, darling son, pleeeeeaaaaassssse, Albus?" Snape said to Dumbledore, still smiling and wearing a pleasant and hopeful expression. Sirius just scowled in a mixture of contempt and horror.
Dumbledore lifted his eyebrows in amusement and said, "Certainly, Severus, but first I must-"
"Thank you, thank you so much, Albus! I haven't seen you in so long, Harry! We must go have a chat- come on, now!" Snape sprung up and bounced merrily to the door, pulling Harry along with him. Snape faltered once or twice, and when he reached for the door, he hesitated so that it was almost as if he was scared to touch it. And then, he suddenly grabbed it anxiously and flung it open. "Bye, Albus! Bye, Sirius!"
Harry looked to Dumbledore right before Snape pulled him down the stairs joyfully. Dumbledore looked suddenly worried, and stood up just as Snape hugged him and raced down the stairs like an energetic little boy.
When they left the statue gaurding the entrance to Dumbledore's office, Harry looked hastily at Snape. Of course, he didn't mind anyone acting nice to him for a change, but… well, Snape wasn't acting like Snape. It wasn't right, the way he walked in a mechanically happy fashion down the corridor instead of his usual saunter.
"So, how have you been, Harry? It has been so long since I've seen you!" Snape exclaimed.
Harry frowned. "Well, er… okay, I guess… But listen. Almost all the students think that you are some kind of horrible axe murderer or something, so… just be quieter, okay?"
"Alright!" Said Snape. "How about going in a room or something? Here, this looks good…" Snape flung open a door, only to find a bored class of seventh years listnening to Professor Binns drone on about the history of house elves. The students themselves looked quitet surprised and scared at the sight of Snape flinging their door open (although Binns took no notice at all). They stared even more when Snape said, "Whoops! Sorry, that won't do!" And shut the door again.
Snape hopped down the hall, beckoning Harry along with him. "Er, Professor, where are we going?"
"To find a room, of course! This one looks good." Snape opened another door- thankfully, it was unoccupied. Snape went in himself and then pulled Harry in. "So, how have you been doing lately?"
"Er… good-"
"Do you want a chocolate frog?" Snape enthusiastically pulled out a sweet from his pocket and offered it to Harry. Harry noticied a faint glimmer of horror pass over Snape's face, and he faltered the tiniest bit while holding it out.
And, suddenly, in a raspy voice quite unlike the one he had been using, Snape muttered, "Harry!"
Harry looked up. "Did you say something?"
Snape's face brightened even more, if it was possible. "No, did you? Have a chocolate frog! They're good!" And then his quivering hand thrust the chocolate to Harry's hand.
Harry was just about to say thanks…
But instead he felt the all too familiar jerk on his bellybutton pulling him forward.