I do not own Harry Potter or Big Trouble in Little China

Chapter 20

Hogwarts

2 weeks later

The first two weeks of the new school year had been quite interesting to say the least, Severus mused as he took stock of the events.

Because he could not be sorted, it now made even further sense that the room Remus had asked to be made specifically for Harry become his. Having wondered how special a room it must be, when he had originally overheard. The sheer size of Harry's familiar, made Severus see to entertain one such as the snake. There must be enough room for her to move and to do as she wishes.

For a snake that big would be a problem if agitated. And with the wolf as well as other adults so close, Remus and the others were essentially Harry's head of house and their office/living room was their common room.

The older men and women honestly did not mind and in fact were amused at the questions often asked of Harry's new found friends. Among them were of course Ron and Ginny Weasely. The two youngest members of the Weasely clan had taken to Harry like a fish to water and he to them as well.

Ginny was a bright young lady, who despite being a year younger was not like her older brother Ron. Ron was still suffering from the emotional turmoil of the first two years he had at Hogwarts.

Some of the students still blamed him for the death of young Hermione Granger, because despite the truth at the time that Voldemort was not directly responsible for her death. It was his callous words and the way he had said them which put her in harm's way. On top of what happened to Ginny, the boy was afraid to let anyone close.

Seeing Harry able to take care of himself was a way and an opening for the Weaselys as well as others to urge Ron to get close to the young man. It was after all in hopes that maybe some of the quiet confidence Harry exudes will rub off on the teenager.

As to Ginny?

She was eager to help the black haired boy translate some of the Eastern spells and chants to its western counterparts. Her own curiosity in not just what he knows but in him in general, she had volunteered the time to help him compare what he knows with what they do. Along with others who came in such as Daphne and even Cho and Cedric.

Essentially the students who were brave to approach Harry that first day were among those who were willing to help him.

Now with Harry was taking the classes to keep busy while they determine the results. There were of course things he could not understand and other things he was far to advanced in.

Like potions....

One simple request had made the potions Master almost cry in surprise and joy, once he saw what his nemesis's child could do. You see because he had been taught by a foreign magician, the plants he knew in Chinese, could be something different in English.

So Harry arrived a couple of days early for one special request....

Flashback

"Snape-sensei...."

Giving a small groan of irritation, Severus turned to find his nemesis's child at the door.

"What is it Mr. Burton."

A small smile crossing the youth's lips, he may be James's son, but yet his smile and the look about him just that minute reminded Severus so much of his mother....

"Snape-sensei, I thought that perhaps. Well could you recommend a book that describes the plants you will be using as ingredients in your potions?"

"Why are the ones you brought not good enough for you?" The dark haired man said snidely.

A look of irritation crossing his features, Harry schools his features. Sirius and Remus had warned him that this man was not a friend of his father's and in fact might take out a lot of pent up rage against him on himself.

"Forgive me if I have disturbed you in my infantile request Snape-Sensei. But Considering I was taught by a Chinese wizard, many potions and plants you know may be one name to you but a different one to me. Do you recommend a book that explains the plants and their uses better, then what was assigned? This way I would not be wasting your time or mine, as I could compare with what I was taught and see if perhaps I could take further advanced classes?"

Grudgingly, despite his instincts to make the boy suffer, Severus appreciated the fact that he had thought things through. Handing him a book from his own collection, the dark man waved the boy off with nary a word.

Flashback ends

When Harry had returned for the actual class, Snape could not help but actually quiz him in front of the others.

And was surprised to find that not only Harry knew the answer to each question, but he knew variations with plants that Severus had not thought to try. This had caused all sorts of problems, because for once the dour teacher could not find anything to insult him for as he had planned.

He thought about saying he was a know it all, but then he wasn't as he had heard from Minerva that he had no knowledge of transfiguration and he was only average in Ancient Runes.

This had caused Severus to be in a bit of a quandary to be honest. He had truly expected the boy to be very much like his father. Loving the fame, wallowing in it fact.

But the matter is that the boy apparently was anything but!

He had even asked for him and Poppy to aide him in something he was doing for the wolf.

After that incident in school, Severus would have normally said no. But the fact was these last two weeks, Harry Potter-Burton had proven, he was more like Lily, then he was James. And it was disturbing to the older man.

On the bright side, he was having the brat tutor many of his other students in potions. Draco another tutor as well, the blonde refused to help anyone as it meant no benefit to him.

This caused Severus to sigh a bit in irritation as thoughts of the blonde entered his mind. You see, there was a bit of turmoil going on in the mind of Draco, as his godson had approached him with a recent letter from his father. In it, Lucius had instructed the boy to somehow make friends with Harry.

What made this problematic, was Sirius Black.

For the first time, Severus could not help but agree with his enemy in regards to this being suspicious when Draco tried to make overtures. Nothing a Malfoy did was not without a plan.

Nothing....

Even now having shared his reservations reluctantly with the Headmaster, about this development, the elderly wizard had become thoughtful.

To thoughtful....he always was a manipulative old coot. But then, this one might actually bring hope. Despite being raised to be a copy of Lucius, Draco if one took the time to actually know the boy could be a good friend if allowed. They just had to be able to tolerate the beliefs he had been instilled with and not to mention be able to argue and debate.

Sigh...

Draco did take after him more then Lucius in that regard. Lucius was the primary father and caregiver for the physical and growing aspects of his life. But Severus as Draco's godfather was there for the emotional which had given Draco some of his more prized values in his opinion.

Sure he may agree with Voldemort's beliefs somewhat, but Draco unlike Lucius did not have it in him to kill. In fact it made the blonde sick with dread. A secret kept from Lucius by himself and Narcissa was a simple one. The sight of blood made Draco sick. There was history behind that fact, but it's another story all together.

So when he was supposed to be training to be the next Malfoy, which he did do eventually. He spent a lot of his childhood at Severus's side, where unlike here at Hogwarts the boy actually strived to be thoughtful and cautious rather then headstrong and wanting to fight all the time.

That was a show...one Draco had learned quite well. To well sometimes if Severus really cared to admit.

It was a proven fact though that what prevented him from demonstrating the other side of his personality at all was the presence more or less of the Parkinson twit.

Much like her father, and Lucius if Draco or any of the other Death Eater children did wrong, hell if he did something he wasn't supposed to. The little witch would go running to her Daddy faster then even Draco does to Lucius when crossed.

She was actually worse. Because if not her Daddy, she would find a way to go to someone else and so on, until the Dark Lord knew.

Oh yes Pansy Parkinson, knew about his return.

How could she not? The little girl in some aspects was much like her idol Bellatrix, except unlike the insane woman, she still had her sanity. An insane Bellatrix whom although crazy was easy to handle...

A sane one?

Would be hard and completely unpredictable.

Which made Pansy a far more deadly threat to him and others that wished to be free.