Chapter 38

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or anything.

Harry sat at his desk in potions. He was thoroughly annoyed at Snape. The slimy man had confiscated his potion as soon as Harry had begun making it and ordered Harry to sit there. Harry had never been so bored in his life. He couldn't even talk to Ron or Hermione. He had been told to sit at Snape's desk so Snape could keep an eye on him. Needless to say, Snape hadn't taken the harmless prank very well, and had sent Harry a glare every 35 seconds on the dot.

Harry sat with his head resting on his hand as his eyes observed the room. Snape had made his own potion and was letting it stew. He had said "POTTER, DO NOT TOUCH MY POTION, and DO NOT EVEN LOOK AT IT!" Harry had just shrugged and continued to observe his classmates. The Slytherins of course were having a right laugh at him, but after five years he knew to ignore them. Hermione and Ron sent his pitying looks which he just smiled at them for.

Harry felt rebellion rise in him and he smirked. He looked over at Snape's potion. The overgrown bat's back was turned and Harry looked at the potion. Harry frowned; Snape had made a burning potion, which was meant to burn through walls, very useful to aurors apparently. But it had been a shade of blue only a minute ago. Now it was a deep red and was smoking lightly.

"Erm... sir? The po-"Snape cut him off, not even turning to look at Harry.

"Hush now, Potter, some people in here wants to achieve a decent owl." He spat.

"But sir!" Harry rebelled.

"I said hush. I am sure you will go and have a good moan to your dad about how boring this lesson was but you brought it on yourself by ruining your own potion so don't blame me and try to distract us all because you are bored!" Snape snapped and shot him a glare before returning to Neville's fail of a potion.

Harry stood up as the potion overflowed onto the desk he sat at.

"Sir h-"Snape cut him off again.

"Stop attention seeking, Potter." Snape said.

"Sir, the potion has overflowed!" Hermione said, panicking as Harry backed up against the wall as the potion surrounded him.

Snape swivelled around and shouted "Everyone out!"

Everyone but Ron and Hermione ran out.

"Harry, the cabinet!" Ron shouted.

Harry looked to his left and jumped up onto the cabinet, his feet on a shelf and his hands gripping the top.

Snape was suddenly surrounded by the potion. Harry looked at the shelf as Snape's show soles started melting. There on the top shelf was the powder to vanish any potion it touches. Harry threw it at Snape's feet and that bit of the potion vanished. Snape stepped back and got his wand out to vanish the potion but Harry's foot slipped and he smashed his head on a shelf. Harry fell on his side in the burning potion, unconscious immediately.

Snape vanished the potion and rushed to Harry as Hermione ran for help and Ron knelt next to Harry's other side. Snape carefully rolled Harry onto his back. Harry's trousers were intact, but the potion had burned through the fifteen year olds shirt and Harry's side and right arm had burns all over. Harry groaned in his unconscious state.

A house elf apparated in next to Ron as Ron put a comforting hand on Harry's left shoulder.

"I was told by you Gryffindor girl to apparate injured student to hospital wing.

"Oh, Hermione, you are a genius!" Ron mumbled with a smile.

"Can one of you's sirs pick him up and I will apparate you both there. I don't want to hurt sir anymore!" The elf asked.

Snape went to pick him up but Ron pushed his hand away and put one arm under his brother's knees and another under Harry's shoulder's, picking the light boy up. A drop of blood from Harry's forehead dropped to the floor. Snape looked up at Ron's enraged face as Ron stood to his full height.

"You never listen! He was trying to tell you! He's not that bad at potions, you know. He told me on the train in our first year that he was looking forward to it. You are to blame for this." Ron said as a five year old anger overflowed.

The house elf touched Ron's arm and the three disappeared leaving a regretful Snape sat in an empty potions classroom.

James ran through the corridors in Stag form. He sprinted at incredible speed and turned back to a human and pushed the hospital wing doors opened. He rushed over to the busy bed where all the fifth year Gryffindors stood. He pushed through the crowd and found Madam Pomfrey attempting to bandage his son's arm while telling the group to back off a bit. Pomfrey seemed to sense James' presence as James knelt next to his son's side and put a hand on Harry's hair and stroked gently.

"We were lucky. Burning potions are quick and difficult to heal, but thank to Miss Granger Harry was up here within a minute of being burned. Apparently he knocked his head, I've cleaned that up and there is no wound anymore. Burns are a bit different, I've put a salve on them and bandaged them up, they shouldn't even scar." Madam Pomfrey explained as she finished bandaging Harry.

"What happened?" James asked.

"Snape." Ron said and then explained exactly what happened, with the others nodding along in the background.

By the end James was breathing harshly, hating Snape more than he ever had before.

At that moment the hospital doors opened again and Snape walked in, with his eyes on the floor.

James stood up and turned so Snape couldn't see Harry.

"Get away from my son!" James demanded forcefully.

"Trust me, I do not wish to be in you or your son's presence more that is essential. I came to thank Potter, for his quick actions that saved me from pain, because I know when it is right to say sorry or thank you." Snape said.

"Well, I will pass on the message. You can leave now." James said.

Harry opened his eyes and saw his dad's back. He also heard Snape's voice.

"I will leave when I have thanked Potter. I don't trust you to do me any favours." Snape said.

"Stop it." Harry said quietly. James turned to Harry and sat on the side of Harry's bed.

"Heya, kiddo, how are you feeling?" James asked.

"I'm fine." Harry said.

Snape stepped forward.

"Thank you, Potter. Your actions in the lessons were much appreciated." He said, but it sounded like he wanted to be sick from daring to say the word 'potter' and thank' in the same sentence.

Harry nodded and Snape walked out again.

"I really hate Snape." James admitted. Harry laughed.

"I know, dad. Just ignore him; Merlin knows that I try to." Harry said.

"You don't blame him for what happened?" James asked.

"No, what would that achieve? I know he will never apologise; he's too proud." Harry said honestly.

"That's what Lily said to me once." James said.

Harry smiled and drifted back to sleep.

"Thank you." James said to Ron and Hermione sincerely. They nodded.

Author's note: Hello! Thank you for your reviews, as always they are very much so appreciated. In one of the reviews from vampreex they advised me not to go with the Harry/Ginny pairing. I thank you for your advice and I was not offended at all, it is nice for people to be honest but I am going to follow through with that pairing. However it will be an extremely minor part of this story. I don't particularly enjoy writing about romance but I will go with that pairing. I apologise if anyone dislikes reading Harry/Ginny but can I just ensure you that this story is about Harry, James, Sirius, Remus and Harry's friends, not Harry's love life. Thank you for reading. I hope you enjoyed reading! This chapter is based on an idea suggested by candy3314. Thank you for the idea, I hope you liked it. I am extremely thankful for candy3314's reviews so I thought you would like me doing your idea. Thanks! Please review!