Chapter 3: Potions



A/N: Sorry I haven't updated this in a while, I've not only had stuff to do, but I had a bit or writers block (I hate it when that happens!). Also, I've been working on another story (which, by the way, I now have writers block for ~_~;;;;;;). Anyway, here it is, enough rambling.....







Ron didn't talk to anyone in Gryffindor Tower. Nobody really minded though, on account of, he barely talked to anyone in Gryffindor except Harry, Hermione, his siblings, and an occasional other person that could be Neville, Dean, or Seamus.

Walking down the hall with Hermione towards Potions, Harry was troubled.

"Honestly, I don't see why Ron can't act just a bit more civil about this all. Thinking we'd gotten the teachers involved. That wouldn't make any sense, now would it? Like the teachers would go for that kind of thing. I mean, of course I understand how hard and embarrassing this all must be for him, but really, I think he's going a tad overboard," Hermione scoffed. "I say, is there something wrong, Harry? Harry? Are you listening?!" she said, turning to him.

"Huh?"

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Did you even hear a word I just said?"

Harry shook his head. "I'm sorry Hermione, I'm just not fully here right now."

Hermione's expression softened a bit. "Why, what's wrong?"

Harry looked at her. "Did you see the way Ron was looking at me?"

Hermione nodded.

"He was looking at me the exact same way Snape looks at me. With loathing."

"Oh, Harry, I'm sure Ron doesn't hate you. Us," she added as an afterthought. "Remember, Ron's temper can get a bit off sometimes."

"Yeah, I know. But he's never looked at me like that. Even that time last year when we weren't talking, he never once looked at me like that," Harry muttered.

They had reached the dungeon for Potions.

"I mean, it was only a joke! I didn't expect him to take it that badly," he said, as he and Hermione took a seat in the back of the room.

They quieted as Snape entered the room, glaring as usual.

"Today we are working on an invisibility potion," he said, rolling his eyes. "I don't know why it would be important." His eyes now darted to Harry. "As some of you already have the capabilities to become invisible," he said blandly. "But the Headmaster insists you learn."

He glanced around the room at everybody. "We'll be testing them out, so you'd better get it right."

"Oh no....." came a whispered whimper of panic from Neville.

"Ten points from Gryffindor for talking in-" Snape started, but was cut off as the dungeon door had been opened and in Ron had rushed.

A sneer grew on Snape's face, and the Slytherins started snickering.

"Nice of you to join us, Mr. Weasley. Figured you'd just show up when you were ready, not caring if you interrupted my lesson or not?"

If Snape expected an answer, he wasn't getting one.

"20 points from Gryffindor, and you have Mr. Weasley here to thank," Snape hissed. "Take a seat."

Ron marched to the back of the room, and sat down.

"Turn to page 356 in your potions books. Well, what are you waiting for? Get started!" Snape growled at the class.

Harry opened his book and took out his cauldron. He turned to look at Ron, who did not meet his gaze.

"I'm regretting even doing that stupid joke," he said bitterly.

Hermione didn't answer, but nodded sympathetically.

Harry was busy getting ingredients out of his bag when he heard "Lord, Potter, I didn't think I'd ever see the day."

Harry spun around in his seat to see Draco Malfoy smirking at him.

"Buzz off, Malfoy," Harry muttered.

But he didn't. "Never knew you had it in you," Malfoy continued. "Didn't think you were smart enough to pull something like that off. A bit novice of a prank, of course. I could do a lot better. But you're getting there. Disgracing you best friend in front of the whole school. Ha, I'm going to have to try that one-"

"I said, shutup, Malfoy."

"Potter, are you talking?" sneered Snape from the front of the class.

"No, Professor."

"Keep it that way, or I'll take off more points!"

"Yes, Professor."

Harry went back to his work.

"But you must be happy Weasley's not talking to or hanging out with you anymore," Harry heard Malfoy say. "Now you get more personal time to mess with your Mudblood bitch without him interfering."

Harry's hands were at Malfoy's robes in a second.

"I'm warning you, Malfoy. Shut the fuck up."

He had had it. It was bad enough the Draco Malfoy was commending him for ticking off Ron. But then saying that he, Harry, was enjoying being away from his best friend so he could mess around with Hermione, who, by the way, was NOT a bitch or Mudlblood, was too much.

"Potter, what the hell do you think you're doing?!" yelled Snape from the front of the room, quickly striding to the back.

"Easy there with the temper, Potter. You might just cost Gryffindor a WHOLE lot of points," Malfoy said cooly.

It was then that Harry realized that this was Draco's plan all along. Get him mad enough to do something insane, in an attempt to lose all the points he had won in the last Quidditch match, therefore putting Slytherin ahead in the House Cup.

"You bastard....."

"Just doing my job," Malfoy smirked.

"Potter, unhand that student right now!" bellowed Snape as he reached them.

Harry glared at Malfoy, then let go of him.

"What do you think gives you the right to attack another student?!" Snape hissed right up in Harry's face. "I have the right mind right now to expel you...."

"Oh, and Professor!" Malfoys simpering voice came in. "Ow, oh, OW, he hurt me, too!"

Harry's eyes went huge behind his glasses.

"No he didn't, you prat, he just held you there, glaring at you!"

Harry turned around, surprised, to see Ron on his feet, defending him.

"Don't expel him though, Professor. I suggest you just take some points off. Say, all the points they won at the last Quidditch match?" Malfoy said pointedly.

All the class had turned to look at Snape, the Gryffindors with pleading eyes, the Slytherins with encouraging ones.

Snape seemed to be considering the idea. After a very tense amount of time (which felt like hours, but was only really like 3 minutes), Snape adopted a very malicious grin on his face and said "Yes. 170 points from Gryffindor, and 10 more for Mr. Weasley talking out in class."

The Slytherin side convulsed in silent laughter, while the Gryffindor side was in outrage.

"You can't do that!"

"That's SO not fair!"

"You CAN'T do that!"

"I don't believe this..."

"Can he do that?"

A couple of other choice words and phrases were thrown at Snape, bu luckily for all the other noise, he didn't catch most of it.

"Shutup, all of you, before I take more points off!" Snape snapped. The bell rang. Class was over.

"By the way, Potter, you have a detention tomorrow night, 11:00, so don't you dare forget," Snape told Harry as he was packing up. "You, too, Mr. Weasley," he added as Ron passed him.

"Ron? Uh...........thanks."

Ron, who probably remembered that he wasn't supposed to be talking to or helping out Harry, walked past, without so much as a backwards glance.

Hermione, on the other hand, had loads to say.

"Harry, how can you be so thick? You could've gotten yourself killed, or worse, expelled!"

"Alright, first of all, you need to sort out your priorities, second of all, how the hell would I have gotten myself killed, and third of all, didn't you say that in first year?"

Hermione waved her hand impatiently. "Whatever, I don't know, and yes I did, but that's not the point! The point is, you can't let Malfoy get to you like that! Whatever he says, you know it's not true-"

"He called you a Mudlblood bitch," Harry said.

"I'm going to kick his ass..." Hermione hissed.

Harry almost had to laugh. " That's what I thought."

Hermione opened her mouth to speak, but closed it again.

"See, that's why I attacked him."

"Really?"

Harry shrugged. "Well, yeah. You're not a Mudblood, and you're certainly not a bitch, and that on top of all the other things he said got me a bit pissed."

"Oh. Thank you, Harry."

"Sure thing," he replied.





What did you think??????? Yeah, I got that one line off the HP movie (great movie, go see it!) It's like the best line I've ever heard. Please nobody sue me for it!!! I'm currently broke (which kinda sucks, considering x-mas is coming up fast....damnit....). Anywho, stay tuned for part 4!