CHAPTER TWO- NOTHING WORSE
By the time that second period rolled around, Neville was not quite as humiliated. But Ron had been extremely quiet. No one seemed to notice him.
The students took their seats hurriedly, because Professor Severus Snape did not tolerate tardies. In fact, he didn't tolerate much of anything. He had a consequence for nearly every action in the world. Once, he gave Harry a detention for sneezing without warning. That was just something that was expected in his classroom.
When Hermione walked into the classroom, Draco pointed her out and sang loudly ," Here comes the bride! With Muggle Pride!" The Slytherins screamed with laughter.
Delighted at his large audience, Malfoy sort of skipped over to Neville and inquired," Have you asked your family if you can marry a non- magic girl, Longbottom? I'm not certain if your mad grandmother would approve, unless she's been recruited, and then, she's no better."
The Slytherins hooted, because, as everyone knew, Neville's grandma was all for muggle peace. Neville turned scarlet, although he knew that this was nothing to be ashamed about.
Malfoy drew his wand, joking," Looks like Longbottom didn't buy you a ring, Granger! Don't worry! Perhaps if you ask nicely, I can conjure one for you!"
Ron bellowed, "PERHAPS I CAN SHOVE THAT WAND UP YOUR-"
Just then, Snape slithered out of his office. Ron fell silent.
"Weasley, you have just been awarded a detention for verbal harassment. Now, you have a free pass to help Mr. Filch clean the girls' bathroom. Apparently, Myrtle's flooded it again," Severus jeered tightly in his calm, deep voice.
Instead of protesting as he usually did, Ron simply shrugged and sat down.
Snape looked befuddled, but in a subtle way. He was used to getting back talk from Ron. "And- five points from Gryffindor for trying to soften me up."
"That's not fair!" Harry declared.
"Mr. Potter? Will you be joining Weasley in toilet- cleaning?"
Harry nodded. "Yes, I will be."
"Oh." Snape looked at him blankly. "In that case then, be at Filch's office at eight o'clock sharp tomorrow night. Now, Malfoy." Snape put on a entirely expression. "Are you all right?"
Draco smirked and Ron, and then made a painful face at Severus. "I'm okay, it's just that I'm not used to hearing profanity."
"Ooh, your daddy might have to scrub your ears out," Harry whispered. He grinned at Ron, but Ron sighed and turned away.
Without noticing (fortunately), Snape droned on. "Back to business. Today, we will be making an Telihassus potion, which is an ancient goblin remedy for healing bruises. I hope you took good notes yesterday, because we will be working free of book today."
Hermione looked delighted, a few people gasped, and someone in the back row coughed.
"So," Snape continued," Take out your potions notebook, and let us begin." He paused, and then looked at Neville with a strange, sugar- coated smile. "Ah. Notebook.. That reminds me! Mr. Longbottom, I found a notebook of yours from our Tuesday class. It was black, fairly small.. anyhow, I had your friend Mr. Malfoy take it to you. Did you receive it?"
Neville thought about telling Snape that Malfoy was NOT his friend, but he decided against it and nodded. "Yes, sir."
"Do you have it with you today?"
"Yes, sir."
Snape was looking more and more over-joyed. "Why don't you give it to me? Since you are such an excellent student, I would very much like to read your notes to the class for a little review."
A hush fell over the classroom. Everyone was watching intently. Pansy Parkinson got a fit of giggles as Draco stifled a chortle, understanding what was taking place.
"Erm- Professor? It isn't the same-"
"Pass it here, Longbottom. No excuses- I know you're flattered," Snape said dryly.
Hermione spoke up with," What he's trying to say is-"
"SHUT up, Ms. Granger, and give someone else a chance."
"But, it's-"
"You as well, Potter."
Neville cleared his throat and tried again, this time fibbing," Professor? I don't think my notes are very good."
"Nonsense! I am assured that they are exemplary." Snape turned to Malfoy, who was waving his arm around in the air. "Yes?"
Draco slowly pulled his hand down. "I happened to glance at Longbottom's notes, sir. I wouldn't just call them 'exemplary'. I would call them brilliant, perfect- better than anything his girlfriend's written." He turned to sneer at Hermione, and then smiled at Neville. "Well done!"
"Let us read it then," Snape called, though confused at the last bit. A Slytherin girl named Blaise Zabini, who sat in front of Neville, snatched the diary and got up to hand it to Snape.
Malfoy clapped. The whole lot of the Slytherins started applauding. Neville sank downward.
"Hush, hush. I want you to hear this," Snape remarked, pawing through the pages. "Ah. This is titled 'My Study Buddy'. This is sounding quite charming all ready! Let me see.." He began reading very sluggishly, so that every single word hung in the dank air:
" 'Hermione Granger is ever so gorgeous, and even more kind and helpful than that! When ever I need help in class, she's always there. She helps me study, and she is my helper for Potions class. When I'm having a rough time, she is by my side, and no one else understands. I think I love her. When I look at her, I always want to kiss her, which makes it very hard to concentrate. After lessons, when-' " Snape broke off with a slight gasp, trying to act surprised. "Oh, dear! I must be mistaken! This isn't your notes notebook, at all?"
Neville did not answer. He looked as though he was either dead, or asleep.
People in the classroom were hysterical. Even some Gryffindors thought it amusing. Harry and Hermione looked angry though, and Ron looked as though he might murder someone.
"Longbottom," Snape said quietly, striding down the aisle and smacking his hand upon the desk. Neville flinched. "I'm really sorry for the mix up."
"Big deal," Harry muttered.
Snape set the diary down upon Neville's desk, saying," That teaches you to be such a dunderhead all of the time! Maybe if you would stop dreaming, you wouldn't be failing my class! Now, sit up, and earn a better grade," he snapped.
The lesson was (more or less) resumed.
By the time that second period rolled around, Neville was not quite as humiliated. But Ron had been extremely quiet. No one seemed to notice him.
The students took their seats hurriedly, because Professor Severus Snape did not tolerate tardies. In fact, he didn't tolerate much of anything. He had a consequence for nearly every action in the world. Once, he gave Harry a detention for sneezing without warning. That was just something that was expected in his classroom.
When Hermione walked into the classroom, Draco pointed her out and sang loudly ," Here comes the bride! With Muggle Pride!" The Slytherins screamed with laughter.
Delighted at his large audience, Malfoy sort of skipped over to Neville and inquired," Have you asked your family if you can marry a non- magic girl, Longbottom? I'm not certain if your mad grandmother would approve, unless she's been recruited, and then, she's no better."
The Slytherins hooted, because, as everyone knew, Neville's grandma was all for muggle peace. Neville turned scarlet, although he knew that this was nothing to be ashamed about.
Malfoy drew his wand, joking," Looks like Longbottom didn't buy you a ring, Granger! Don't worry! Perhaps if you ask nicely, I can conjure one for you!"
Ron bellowed, "PERHAPS I CAN SHOVE THAT WAND UP YOUR-"
Just then, Snape slithered out of his office. Ron fell silent.
"Weasley, you have just been awarded a detention for verbal harassment. Now, you have a free pass to help Mr. Filch clean the girls' bathroom. Apparently, Myrtle's flooded it again," Severus jeered tightly in his calm, deep voice.
Instead of protesting as he usually did, Ron simply shrugged and sat down.
Snape looked befuddled, but in a subtle way. He was used to getting back talk from Ron. "And- five points from Gryffindor for trying to soften me up."
"That's not fair!" Harry declared.
"Mr. Potter? Will you be joining Weasley in toilet- cleaning?"
Harry nodded. "Yes, I will be."
"Oh." Snape looked at him blankly. "In that case then, be at Filch's office at eight o'clock sharp tomorrow night. Now, Malfoy." Snape put on a entirely expression. "Are you all right?"
Draco smirked and Ron, and then made a painful face at Severus. "I'm okay, it's just that I'm not used to hearing profanity."
"Ooh, your daddy might have to scrub your ears out," Harry whispered. He grinned at Ron, but Ron sighed and turned away.
Without noticing (fortunately), Snape droned on. "Back to business. Today, we will be making an Telihassus potion, which is an ancient goblin remedy for healing bruises. I hope you took good notes yesterday, because we will be working free of book today."
Hermione looked delighted, a few people gasped, and someone in the back row coughed.
"So," Snape continued," Take out your potions notebook, and let us begin." He paused, and then looked at Neville with a strange, sugar- coated smile. "Ah. Notebook.. That reminds me! Mr. Longbottom, I found a notebook of yours from our Tuesday class. It was black, fairly small.. anyhow, I had your friend Mr. Malfoy take it to you. Did you receive it?"
Neville thought about telling Snape that Malfoy was NOT his friend, but he decided against it and nodded. "Yes, sir."
"Do you have it with you today?"
"Yes, sir."
Snape was looking more and more over-joyed. "Why don't you give it to me? Since you are such an excellent student, I would very much like to read your notes to the class for a little review."
A hush fell over the classroom. Everyone was watching intently. Pansy Parkinson got a fit of giggles as Draco stifled a chortle, understanding what was taking place.
"Erm- Professor? It isn't the same-"
"Pass it here, Longbottom. No excuses- I know you're flattered," Snape said dryly.
Hermione spoke up with," What he's trying to say is-"
"SHUT up, Ms. Granger, and give someone else a chance."
"But, it's-"
"You as well, Potter."
Neville cleared his throat and tried again, this time fibbing," Professor? I don't think my notes are very good."
"Nonsense! I am assured that they are exemplary." Snape turned to Malfoy, who was waving his arm around in the air. "Yes?"
Draco slowly pulled his hand down. "I happened to glance at Longbottom's notes, sir. I wouldn't just call them 'exemplary'. I would call them brilliant, perfect- better than anything his girlfriend's written." He turned to sneer at Hermione, and then smiled at Neville. "Well done!"
"Let us read it then," Snape called, though confused at the last bit. A Slytherin girl named Blaise Zabini, who sat in front of Neville, snatched the diary and got up to hand it to Snape.
Malfoy clapped. The whole lot of the Slytherins started applauding. Neville sank downward.
"Hush, hush. I want you to hear this," Snape remarked, pawing through the pages. "Ah. This is titled 'My Study Buddy'. This is sounding quite charming all ready! Let me see.." He began reading very sluggishly, so that every single word hung in the dank air:
" 'Hermione Granger is ever so gorgeous, and even more kind and helpful than that! When ever I need help in class, she's always there. She helps me study, and she is my helper for Potions class. When I'm having a rough time, she is by my side, and no one else understands. I think I love her. When I look at her, I always want to kiss her, which makes it very hard to concentrate. After lessons, when-' " Snape broke off with a slight gasp, trying to act surprised. "Oh, dear! I must be mistaken! This isn't your notes notebook, at all?"
Neville did not answer. He looked as though he was either dead, or asleep.
People in the classroom were hysterical. Even some Gryffindors thought it amusing. Harry and Hermione looked angry though, and Ron looked as though he might murder someone.
"Longbottom," Snape said quietly, striding down the aisle and smacking his hand upon the desk. Neville flinched. "I'm really sorry for the mix up."
"Big deal," Harry muttered.
Snape set the diary down upon Neville's desk, saying," That teaches you to be such a dunderhead all of the time! Maybe if you would stop dreaming, you wouldn't be failing my class! Now, sit up, and earn a better grade," he snapped.
The lesson was (more or less) resumed.
