Harry Potter Junior Level: Year Three

Ch. 25

At The Boiling Point

After Draco's first disastrous weekend with his Mother, he has refused to go back to the Manor to visit. Two weeks later, Severus arranged a weekend visit with Narcissa and Alex away from Snape Manor which also didn't go very well. His son seems to be dead set against trying to form a relationship with Narcissa. Deciding to get advice, he follows Sirius' suggestion and meets with Dumbledore.

"So, from what you have told me young Draco is being extremely stubborn when it comes to Narcissa. Have you discussed this with him? Do you have an idea of why he is adamantly refusing to even speak with his Mum? If it were Lucius, I would have understood, but I always felt he and Narcissa had a secret bond. Perhaps I was wrong. Could it be jealousy over the little girl?" Dumbledore says leaning over his desk to peer at the man in front of him.

"After his punishment for his cruel prank, I attempted to get him to open up with me. I sat him down for a long talk but I received only one to two-word responses. He knows how I detest mumbling and failure to speak but that's exactly what he did. I held my patience and continued to question him. I asked if he would explain his feelings to me and that got nowhere. I thought I had a good concept of how to deal with pre-teens and teenagers but can't deal with my own child. I don't believe he is jealous of little Alexandra as he seems enthralled with her. He seems to want to be a big brother to her."

"That is good to hear. Yes, it doesn't sound like jealousy, well the problem could very well be something else. He's your own child so he knows how to stall. He knows how far to take something until he's in a position to push too far. Your patience allowed him to continue his silence and this game of non-speak he's playing."

"Headmaster, I believe this is more than pure defiance. Draco is the type to bury his emotions, not deal with them. Lucius taught him that. He is becoming better at showing his true feelings but has far to go."

"I know someone else who has far to go in showing true feelings as well. You, yourself, keep your emotions under wraps do you not?"

"We are here to discuss Draco, not myself. His schoolwork is beginning to suffer from this. I received two notices yesterday of his decline in class participation in the last few weeks and one stating his last exam scored a poor. I've yet to mention this to him, however."

"I know you have high standards for the child and are not pleased with hearing this news. However, I believe you should not punish him for this. Don't make it out to be something you are displeased with. If you plan to discuss it, do so with a different approach. What was the subject where he made Poor?"

"Transfiguration and the notes were from Herbology and Charms as well. He often has trouble with Professor Greystone. She and he don't get along. Neither Draco nor Harry does well with her teaching methods. I've met with her three times this school term and each time it's the same. Draco doesn't apply what she's teaching and doesn't behave well in class. He receives correction, straightens up for a time and then falls into the same habits once more. He wasn't this way with Pomona Sprout. He enjoyed her lessons and rarely was called out for misbehaving. Do you have any other parents discussing Professor Greystone either for her role as Herbology professor or her performance as Head of Hufflepuff?"

"Severus, you know I do not discuss private matters concerning faculty to parent relationships with you or any other professor. Minerva isn't one to score students low unless there's a very good reason. Well, would you like me to talk to young Draco? Maybe I could get something from him to help figure out what is going on here. I'll be happy to try. Perhaps if I took him somewhere away from Hogwarts for a day."

"Let me think about that suggestion. I don't want to reward the child for misbehavior or slacking off on his schoolwork. On the other hand, it might do him some good to talk with you. I need a few days, would this Friday be soon enough for an answer?" Severus asks.

"That will be fine."

"Thank you for the time, I must get going as I have a class waiting," Severus responds having cast a tempus charm to check the time.

Downstairs in the dungeon Potions lab, the group of second year students including Harry, Hermione, Draco, and other Junior Level students are busy talking or in Hermione's case, reading.

"Well, this is a surprise. We have never come to class and not had Professor Snape show up! He's now ten minutes late! How long do we sit and wait before we can leave?"

"Perhaps he's dead. We won't have to do homework or brew anything. Suits me just fine as I don't want to be brooded over while I'm brewing." one boy says gleefully.

As the chuckles die down from her classmates, Hermione sends Jeremy a scornful look.

"Jeremy. He isn't dead. I saw him at breakfast and spoke to him in the corridor earlier." she intones looking exasperated.

"OOOH, her worthlessness speaks to me! Yes, Madam Mudblood I am sure YOU know all about where he might be. Do you come into his quarters at night as well? Dungeon bats like young ones." Jeremy sneers causing several girls to gasp and boys to snicker.

"Jeremy! Do NOT Talk That Way About My Dad! TAKE THAT BACK!" Draco says curling his hands into fists.

"Apologize to Hermione!" Harry orders at the same time, also with fists ready.

"Now the gruesome twosome is after me. Oh, what shall I do?" Jeremy calls to his friends who are laughing hysterically.

Before anyone can say anything else, the classroom door is suddenly slammed against a wall.

"BE SILENT! IN YOUR SEATS! Textbooks and quills ready! Open the book to page 145 for today's lesson!" Severus barks as he walks among the scattering children.

Glaring once at Jeremy, Harry moves to obey his professor.

Not able to control his temper quite as quickly, Draco hesitates still staring at Pippen with fists at his sides.

"MR. SNAPE!"

"Yes, sir?" Draco asks jerking from his near trance of fury.

"My instructions were clear for everyone else. Do you not understand what it means to be told 'in your seat, books, and quills ready'?"

"Yessir, I do."

"Then do so and that's five points taken for not following instructions!"

"But Dad, he ..."

"Make that ten. I am your professor at this time and did not ask for discussion! I suggest you sit yourself down before you lose Gryffindor fifteen points before we even begin class!"

Sitting with his face now flushed with embarrassment at being reprimanded, Draco readies his quill, notebook, and textbook. Writing the date on his notebook page he keeps his eyes down not daring to even look at his father for fear of saying something he shouldn't. His insides feel as if they are on fire.

Feeling his cousin's eyes on him, he listens and takes notes during the lecture not making any eye contact with Harry. Unfortunately, his mind keeps repeating what Jeremy said and he misses much of the lecture.

"Ten minute break students. I expect to see you in your seat, cauldrons ready in ten minutes for the practical portion of today's class. We will be brewing Burn Healing Paste for the infirmary so I hope you took excellent notes. You will need them as I did not write the directions or ingredients on the board. This is one we have discussed and practiced many times. Let's see how many brew successfully." Severus intones drily.

"Draco. Why were you not even looking at me before?" Harry asks as they make their way to the lavatory.

"I knew if I did, you or I would say something. I caused Gryffindor enough trouble without adding more by talking in class. Dad is on a tear today and would have pounced on both of us. We'd wind up with fifty points gone after he took from you as well. He might have even requested to see us after class."

"I sure don't want that! The last time he wanted to see us both after class I wound up with a four foot essay from your Dad and a sore bum from mine. He didn't like the fact that I wasn't conducting myself as a proper student, as he put it."

"You mean the time we blew up the cauldron? Yeah, I got creamed over that one as well, Harry. My bum paid the price for our talking and not paying attention to brewing. I also had an essay. Dad was most displeased! We won't do that any more will we?"

"No. What was worse is we weren't allowed to brew together for a fortnight. Two weeks was so long! I don't want any other partner." Harry replies then seeing Jeremy Pippen enter the lavatory he adds, "Let's go to another Lav. I just saw pipsqueak enter that one."

"I don't need to go, do you? I was just stretching my legs is all. I'll go along if you need to go though."

"I'll wait. I just realized we won't have time to go to another floor." Harry replies.

"We must get pipsqueak for what he said about Dad and Hermione. We'll think about it tonight and plan for something. I am NOT going to let him say those things and get by with it are you?"

"No, Drake. I had to count to 100 twice to keep from slamming him into the wall with a flipendo. I was just about to pull my wand when your Dad came in so it's good he came when he did."

"A what?"

"Flipendo. It's a spell that I read about causing someone to be knocked backward. I actually haven't tried it as you know I'm forbidden from practicing anything without supervision but I would have done it on the pipsqueak if Professor Snape hadn't shown up right then." Harry answers as they walk back to the Potion's lab.

"Draco, you get the cauldron ready, I'll get the ingredients for us. Read over what I have written so we'll both know what to do." Harry says as the boys prepare to brew. Before Draco has time to read Harry's notes, the boys hear:

"Students, attention, please. Instead of working with your partner today, I want individual brewing. Separate stations for everyone. Rely on your notes and your assigned reading. This will be graded so do your utmost work to brew a successful burn healing paste. Imagine it being used on yourself or your friends. You each have one hour and time is crucial, BEGIN NOW."

Exchanging a frown with Harry, Draco moves across the room to a vacant table as six other students do the same. Taking a cauldron and then going to the ingredient cabinets, he sees Jeremy Pippen walking his way. Turning his back to the other boy he begins to put the ingredients needed into his cauldron to move back to his station.

"Out of my way Malfoy or Snape or whatever your lowlife self goes by today. Have you forgotten all your real father taught you? you are from a distinguished family and look at you now. You're a disgrace to the purebloods. Hanging around with a mudblood and rabbit children the way you do. You tie yourself to Potter just for the fame."

"Leave off Pipsqueak. You are nothing to me. My friends and I are better than you'll ever hope to be. I have work to do and don't have time to gab with slugs like you." Draco replies turning to walk away.

"We will settle this later. You are not to disrespect me or pureblood families the way you have been doing. Meet me in the fourth floor boys loo at four o'clock. Can you remember that four o'clock and fourth floor or has hanging out with low life people affected your memory? You and me, no one else."

"I'll be ready," Draco replies with a glare over his shoulder.

Over at their shared station, Harry has begun his brewing. The first step is to measure 200mL of corn oil and seep the mallow leaves in it for twenty minutes. Making sure to measure exactly, Harry pours the oil into his cauldron and drops in the ten leaves making sure not to remove the stems or tear the leaves. While he is waiting for the leaves to soak, he takes his bottle of liquid aloe, small bag of chickweed and prepares the next step. Placing a small bowl on the table, Harry carefully counts to himself as he squeezes twenty drops of aloe with a dropper into the bowl. Stopping to refer to his notes and also the textbook, Harry finds the next step to be the most difficult. He must squeeze the juice out of two slugs to add to his aloe before putting a handful of chickweed in the bowl. Hearing whispering behind him, he looks over his shoulder to see Ron with a note in his hand folded into a small rectangle of course. Taking the note, Harry puts it in his lap to read it.

"What's the step after squeezing 15 drops of aloe? My notes don't say how much chickweed to use. How much?"

Putting his hand behind him forming a cup, Harry indicates one handful but refrains from correcting his friend on his mistake with the aloe and slug juice.

Whispering this time, Ron asks "One or two?" only to hear "MR. WEASLEY! Is there a problem with your assignment?"

"Uhmm, No. I mean No, Sir. I don't. I wasn't, I ..." Ron babbles shrinking down in the chair from the eyes he finds boring straight into his.

"Then get to work. No more whispering of any kind for any reason or you will be in detention with me tonight."

"Yes sir, Professor Snape." Ron answers while his stomach clinches at the mere thought of detention with Snape.

Across the room, Draco sympathizes with Ron as he adds twenty drops of aloe to his bowl of chickweed. Thinking of how utterly disgusting some potion making can be while squeezing the juice out of the three slugs into the mixture. Checking the cauldron and the time, Draco decides fifteen minutes is good enough to seep the crushed mallow leaves. Pouring his bowl of chickweed, aloe and slug juice mixture into the cauldron he begins to count as he stirs counterclockwise as the mixture begins to boil. Not keeping his mind on his stirring he lets his hand begin to stir clockwise without reading his notes. Busy thinking of Pippen and his upcoming confrontation, Draco fails to follow thru with the correct steps. His potion is gradually becoming a dark blue color as it boils.

Harry on the opposite side of the room is now stirring his mixture as well. Careful to bring the cauldron to a boil while stirring he concentrates on stirring counterclockwise in a slow but steady motion. As the potion boils, he keeps watch on the clock having begun to boil at two ten, he sees he has another ten minutes before being removed from the burner. Confident he has brewed successfully so far, Harry reads over the last step in his notes. "Take off heat and stir counterclockwise for twenty times and it should be an orange color. It is to look like a thick orange paste."

Somewhere behind him he hears Professor Snape say "Time is up in twenty minutes. You have twenty minutes to finish. I'm seeing several good potions as I walk around. Be cautious to stir correctly. Remember one rule of Potions is: To brew successfully you must pay attention to detail."

Hearing his father, Draco decides boiling for fifteen minutes has been long enough so he takes the now near black potion off the heat and stirs what now that he actually looks at it, resembles dark mud more than anything else. Hearing the sound of steps stopping beside him, Draco doesn't dare to look up. Face turning red as he hears the soft swish of a wand. As his potion vanishes, he looks up and sideways for a glimpse of his father's face. Finding those coal black eyes that often soften when focussed on his, are now dangerously glaring, he swallows uncomfortably.

"See me afterward, young man!" Snape commands quietly before moving on to the next station

A few minutes later, Harry hears Professor Snape call "Time is up, students. Those whose potion is orange, raise your hand."

Raising his hand, Harry glances around and finds six others have their hands raised, Ron and Draco are not among them. Hermione, Neville, himself, Jeremy Pippen, and three more have apparently successfully brewed their potion.

"Mr. Potter- Black, if you would, what is the correct way to begin this potion? Do you shred the mallow leaves and boil them in the oil along with the chickweed and aloe?"

"No, sir. We keep the mallow leaves whole with the stems attached and let them soak in the corn oil for twenty minutes, sir."

"Good, now Mr. LeGrand, what is the next step?"

"We prepare the mixture of twenty drops of aloe, slug juice from two slugs (at 'slug juice' he wrinkles his nose) and a handful of chickweed and then add it to the leaves once they are soaked for twenty minutes."

"Very good. Now, Miss. Adams. What is the proper way to finish the potion?"

"After we prepare the chickweed mixture, we add it to the leaves and stir counterclockwise while waiting for it to boil, We boil for twenty minutes and then remove it and stir twenty times counterclockwise."

"Correct. Mr. Longbottom, what color and consistency should your finished potion be?"

Glancing into his cauldron, Nev stammers "ooorrrange and pppaste like, sir,"

"Correct and ten points to each of you for knowing the correct steps. All of you with a successful potion which is orange and paste like, as Mr. Longbottom said, please put one cup worth into each of the two jars on your table. The students who did not brew successfully, your homework consists of three feet on the ingredients, technique including the steps for brewing the Burn Healing Paste and what the paste is used for. It is used for more than healing major burns. Those seven who brewed correctly, Mr. Potter-Black, Miss. Granger, Mr. Longbottom, Mr. Pippen, Miss. Adams, Miss. Greengrass, Mr. LeGrand are excused from homework. I must say I'm disappointed with only half the class brewing successfully. This was an opportunity to excel as all of you have done this at least three times before. Let this be a lesson in keeping good notes and your mind on your task. Alright, clear your stations and then you are dismissed."

"You are despicable. I asked you for help and you deliberately ignored my request. I have extra homework and a poor score now because of you. I guess since you have a new family, you can't be bothered with me. Ever since this term started you have wanted to be with anyone but me. Quint is more a friend than you and we only met this September." Ron says using a low tone to be able to talk without being overheard with the noise of clearing up.

"You were here in the lecture same as me. You can write notes the same as I can. You can read and follow textbook directions as well as I can. It's not ME that caused you problems today. Grow up Ron and accept you need to do better at paying attention as well as studying. You are out in the Amusement Area every night instead of studying." Harry answers standing to throw away his rubbish.

"Lay off, Hermione! Some of us want to have fun not be perfect." Ron sneers as he gathers his materials to dump.

Shaking his head sadly and trying not to show how much Ron's words hurt, Harry leaves the room. Having seen Draco scolded by his Dad and now not moving to leave, Harry guesses he's been told to remain behind. Waiting by the door, Harry can't help but give in to his curiosity. Casting a quick amplification charm on the door, he presses his ear to it and hears:

"Draco, what is going on with you? I know you could have brewed this potion today very easily if you put any effort into it at all. Talk to me. What has you acting this way?" Severus asks calmly as he sits beside the child still in his seat.

"I just messed up is all. Students do that all the time. Why single me out to scold when there were six more who didn't do well?!"

"Because I know you are capable of brewing and performing much better in class than you are showing. Open up to me, tell me what it is that has you upset."

"I am NOT upset! I messed up ONE STUPID POTION, SO WHAT!" Harry, still listening at the door has to move back at the shout as his ear is twinging from the overly loud voice.

"Harrison!" Harry hears behind him a few minutes later as he has his ear pressed against the door. Only one person uses his full name in that tone so Harry knows who to expect as he whirls around.

"Ummm, Hi, Dad. Can I help you with something?" Harry asks doing his best innocent act.

"Come away from that door, young man! Eavesdropping is rude. Who is in there with Severus? I came to speak to him."

"Draco. I wasn't trying to be rude. I was trying to find out what is making Draco so mad and sad right now. He won't talk to me either. Uncle Sev is trying to get him to say and he won't."

"That isn't our business right now. Gather your bag and come with me. You can help me prepare for the lab tonight. I need an assistant to polish the telescopes and now I have one." Sirius replies ushering his reluctant assistant towards the stairs.

Inside the lab, Severus is trying extremely hard to stay calm with his recalcitrant child. "Draco, I have notices from two of your professors. Potions isn't the only class where you are not paying attention or participating up to your usual ability. Professor McGonagall reported you made a poor on your last exam. Professor Greystone and Professor Flitwick both report you haven't been participating or listening well in several weeks. I want an explanation, son. We can work out the problem together if you tell me what it is. I can't help if you don't talk."

"I have nothing to say. So I didn't do well in the flipping classes. Whoopeee. Maybe I'm not a gifted student at all and shouldn't even be in Junior Level. Maybe I don't even want to go to school anymore."

"You will go to school and that's not open for discussion. Alright, Draconis, your remarks, and your behavior lately have just earned you detention. Come to this lab at five tonight. You will be cleaning and chopping so dress for the tasks. You know disrespectful talk and slacking off in class will only bring punishment. You may leave but I expect you back here at five o'clock. Also, know I'm ready to listen when you want to talk."

Watching his son stalk out of the room, Severus wishes the boy would just speak to him about his troubles. He has nearly reached the limit to his tolerance. "Maybe a good bum warming is what that child needs. He's about to earn one with his attitude and language!" he thinks as the classroom door slams behind the boy.