SON OF MINE
Sethanon Snape Challenge Response written by Sethanon Snape Word Count
Chapter 5: 1815
AN: Sorry Sorry Sorry for taking so long to get this out I haven't been able to find the time to write as I had to run my friends business for two months and it's a lot of work. *falls on knees* Please Please forgive *beg beg grovel grovel praises the keyboards that readers type yummy reviews on. I have also written out a complete Slytherin First Year Timetable so if you want the complete timetable just email me and I'll send it. *Grins*
On To The Story.....
Chapter 5: Monday, September 4th 1991, Harry Grows A Backbone.
Breakfast the next morning found all the Heads of Houses handing out each year levels class timetable. Harry took one look at his timetable and nearly keeled over he had 10 classes with Gryffindor, 5 Potions, 3 History of Magic and 2 Flying classes every week for a whole year and three of them were today starting off with Double Potions with Gryffindor, then Charms with Ravenclaw, Lunch, History of Magic with Gryffindor finishing up with Double Herbology with Ravenclaw.
"Well at least it's Potions up first with Professor Snape the Gryffindors won't be able to tease me with my own Head of House present." Harry thought with a small measure of relief as he was still nervous about being around Gryffindors without Severus there to defend him.
AN: Don't worry Harry's got a back bone it's just going to take some time for him to develope that kind of self confidence.
While Harry was busy keeling over because of his timetable, Professor Snape and Professor McGonagall were discussing how well a certain Boy Who Lived would cope with classes.
'As long as nobody touches him, Harry should do fine Minerva.' Minerva nodded and said.
'Should being the operative word Severus, Oh I know that in Potions no body is going to speak above a whisper it's just that I'm not sure how he is going to cope in History of Magic you know as well as I that Binns can't control a class unless they're asleep.' Severus thought for a bit before answering.
'True, I'll talk to the Slytherins in his year and see if they can place themselves between Harry and any Gryffindor with a grudge. By the way how did Mr Weasley take the punishment that we dished out?' Minerva's smile was rueful.
'We are going to have problems with that one, Mr Weasley is convinced that because Harry is in Slytherin, that our young Mr Potter is traitor and wants to set himself up as the next Dark Lord.' Severus was not impressed with that answer and told Minerva so just as he was getting up to go and teach his first class of the day First Year Gryffindor/ Slytherin Potions.
"Why Albus do you always place Gryffindors and Slytherins together for Potions they're more volatile than any potion I could come up with." Sulked our (AN: drop dead gorgeous, sexy voiced with great legs, yummy) Potions Master.
Hi Ho The Merryo To Potions We Go.
The Slytherins and Gryffindors were waiting inside the Potions Classroom for their Professor when all of a sudden the door slammed open and in stormed Professor Snape with his robes flaring out behind him his first words in class that were to be remembered by each and every student for the rest of their days were as follows.
'There shall be no foolish wand waving or silly incantations in this class. As such I don't expect that many of you shall appreciate the subtle science that is Potion Making, however for those select few, who possess the predisposition, I can teach you how to ensnare the mind and bewitch the senses, I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory and even put a stopper in death. However for the rest of you I suggest that you don't take my Advanced Class in Sixth year as I will not accept those who are not in the top ten percent of this class and shall notify you when the time comes.'
It was then and there that Harry decided that he was not going to below the top ten percent in any of his classes because he wanted to be recognized for his abilities and not for something that he can't remember. As he turned to Draco to get started on his first potion he noticed that Draco was flicking his ingredients at a certain red headed idiot and whispered.
'Draco come on don't waste your ingredients we've got to get this potion done and I'm not going to fail because of you.' (AN: Looky looky I see a backbone growing.) Draco looked stunned and couldn't believe that this was the same boy who shakes and back peddles every time someone raises their voice at him, raised his hands in submission.
'Okay okay lets get this potion completed, but you do realise that Professor Snape favours his own house, a house mind you that we happen to be in.' Harry glared at Draco and raised his voice for the first time in years.
'Thats only because no one gives Slytherins a chance to prove that NO we are not Dark Lord wannabes. I mean why shouldn't we get treated the same as the rest of the school, even Hagrid who took me to Diagon alley can't look me in the eye anymore because of stupid house rivalry.' At this Professor Snape spun around from where he was striding to some poor Gryffindor who had just blown up his potion and melted his cauldron. (Hint Hint) Harry in tears by this stage continued.
'It's no suprise that Professor Snape favours Slytherins considering from the treatment that I have received from other houses has been disgusting and barbaric and it's all because I am ambitious and want to be recognized for my abilities and not for something I did when I was in diapers.' Professor Snape walked up to Harry and put a comforting hand upon the small boys shoulder which were shaking and said.
'Mr Potter my office now, the rest of you behave and take note of what our young orator has said.' Leaving a very well behaved class behind as Professor Snape escorted Harry through to his office.
Professor Severus Snape Has A Dilemma.
Harry stood looking at the floor of Professor Snapes office with tears running down his face not knowing what was going to happen. Suddenly the soft velvet voice of his Potions Master filled the air.
'Sit down Harry, your not in trouble.' Harry looked up at his Professor in astonishment and stuttered.
'W why?' Professor Snape walked over to Harry making sure that he did not make any sudden moves and knelt down to Harry's eye level placing his hands on either side of Harrys face to make sure that he had his young charges attention.
'You want to know why your not in trouble?' Harry nodded Severus continued.
'Because this is your first day in classes with people who have grown up in this world who have had a stable home life and if they haven't it hasn't been as damaging to them as it has been to you.' Harry looked confused (AN: So am I get to the point Sev. Sev: I am will you just but out, bloody author)
'What I am trying to say Harry is that the rest of the Professors and myself don't expect you to be the same as the rest of the students and we are going to give you the latitude that you need to settle in and to get used to being surrounded by people who may not look at you and see someone who needs space instead they will see the boy who lived and they won't understand your desire to be the best or even your desire to be acknowledged for something other than your scar, and it will take some time for every one to get used to this. Do you understand what I am trying to say Harry?' (AN: I hope he does cause I don't. Sev: SHUT UP. My Harry is a smart boy he'll understand just fine thankyou.) Harry nodded and said.
'What your trying to say is that the students won't or don't understand that I'm just a boy and not a hero and that I have feelings and emotions and if I have any problems with any students that I should go to a Professor to get help.' Severus nodded and said.
'Exactly. Now come on lets clean you up and get back to class.' With that Severus conjured a damp wash cloth and wiped Harry's face so you couldn't tell that he had been crying. Severus then escorted Harry back to Potions.
Potions Class Just After Professor Snape Escorted Mr Potter To His Office.
Silence reigned after Professor Snape entered his office with Harry in tow with only the sound of 14 bubbling cauldrons to break the silence. Stunned the students could not believe what had just occurred, no one spoke, no one moved, they barely breathed, all of them took note of what was said. The Gryffindors dismissed it out of hand, that is all but one Gryffindor, this Gryffindor was a thinker and a reader, liked to gather all the evidence before coming to a conclusion and the conclusion that this Gryffindor came to was that Harry Potter was just a boy who wanted to be known for himself and not something that he did when he was a baby and he was right when he said that Slytherins deserved a chance. This Gryffindors name was Hermione Granger a muggle-born witch. She spoke.
'Harry's right Slytherins deserve to be able to prove what kind of people they are before anyone can make a judgment, actually everyone deserves that chance.' The Slytherins looked amazed at Hermione's revelation and that started a respect for this Gryffindor muggle-born that would stand her in good stead when it came to working with Slytherin students in the years to come. (AN: Ding dong the idiots back. Oh Hell.) Ron Weasley's face by this stage had gone as red as his hair and so was his temper and here are his delightful comments for your (the readers) delectation.
'What? Hermione you can't be serious they're Slytherins they're the enemy, you can't trust them they would hex you as soon as look at you with an inch of respect. If you continue to support Potter you will get no friends in Gryffindor.' Hermione interrupted.
'If all Gryffindors are as foolhardy and as biased against what they do not understand then good I'de rather make my friends with Slytherins they look out for the members in their house even if they don't agree on something, isn't that right Malfoy?' Draco Malfoy surprised at being drawn into this argument between two members of the same house could only yap out.
'Yes.' Hermione looked triumphant. Just then the class got a complete shock by a snarling Potions Master.
'I leave you alone for ten minutes and I expected a well behaved class when I came back and what do I find? Students bickering as if this was a common room. What in Merlins name has been going on here? No don't answer that I can tell by the fact that every one of your potions are ruined. Clean up, get out of my sight.'