/** Author's Note: All characters unfamiliar are OCs and the rest of the wonderful cast belongs to JKR. Please see Chapter1 for more info. In this chapter, I make Michael get acquainted with Snape during dinner. More focus on this two and hopefully you don't find it boring! Read n Review please! Tell me what you think. Seriously. **/

Is it so hard? – Questions and Chocolates

"Albus, do you want to have the sorting ceremony now?" Professor McGonagall asked eagerly. Michael Calanor was the only one left in her 'New Students' list and she had been worried over his absence. So despite the delay, she was glad he turned up after all.

"No, Minerva. We will do it after he is well." Albus said, remembering the limp he had witnessed earlier. "Poppy is in the medical room?"

"Yes, two first-years are down with the flu. She's giving them their medication now."

"I see." Tapping a finger on the table, Albus instructed the house elf who appeared, to inform Madam Pomfrey to come down to the dining hall as soon as she was done.

"Oh dear… I hope Mr. Calanor doesn't get sorted into Gryffindor…" Minerva whispered apprehensively to Albus, her worried eyes fixed on Michael.

The Headmaster suppressed a bout of laughter as he took in the scene to his right. There was his one-of-a-kind Potions Master squaring off with the new boy. Both were scowling darkly as they dared each other into a staring match.

~@~@~@~@~@

What am I doing?? Merlin… I have sunken to a new low. Why am I challenging this kid to a staring match? Severus thought to himself as he snarled and whipped out his infamous sneer. The students, mostly those seated at the Gryffindor table, blanched and seemed to shrink into themselves when they saw the expression on their Potions Master's face. Severus was mildly startled when the boy didn't give any indication of being intimidated. His expression was still incomprehensible. Severus frowned slightly. Either he is very brave or very stupid…  

Michael blinked twice and focused his eyes on the teacher's table. It was amusing when the Potions professor actually sneered at him. He didn't react though. It would be rude. Besides, he was distracted by something else now…

~@~@~@~@~@

Ron gasped in horror. "Harry… Hermione… Is the new kid doing what I think he's doing?" He said weakly, pointing a trembling finger in the direction of the teacher's table.

The two Gryffindors could only nod their head and mouthed, "Uh-huh…"

Every student in the hall, including the Slytherins, said a silent prayer for the boy as he did something that they would term simply as "suicide".

~@~@~@~@~@

"Excuse me, Professor Snape. Are you going to eat all of that?" Michael had limped towards Snape and now stood in front of him, pointing a gloved finger at a silver bowl filled to the brim with tiny pieces of chocolate. It was a rather innocent question but as Michael waited for an answer, little did he know that most of the professors were saying a silent prayer as well.

"I beg your pardon?!" Snape spat in disbelief.

"The chocolates, Sir. Are you going to eat all of that?" Michael thought the professor had not heard him the first time and proceeded to ask again politely. The supposedly silent prayer was not that silent anymore…

Severus did not reply. He merely raised an eyebrow in curiosity. Never in his whole life had he heard such a ludicrous question. He knew that he wasn't the more popular teacher around (understatement) and he never liked the idea of getting chummy with the students anyway (another understatement), but still, even if he was well-accepted by the population (that's a big IF), he doubted anybody would ask that in his face.

"No. I'm not. Why?" Severus answered blandly. Assuming a trick was in hand, Severus decided to play along.

"Cool!! May I have one please??" Michael piped up delightedly. His face revealed nothing but his eyes widened and shone.

Merlin… He's not serious now, is he? Let's test him a bit further, hmm…

"Your accent. American, I gather?"

"Yes, Sir. I'm from Boston, been living there all my life." The boy gave a nod of affirmation as he spoke, keeping eye contact with Snape.

Severus gave a snort. Ha… Muggle-born! Draco will have a fine time… But I hope he will not bother this kid… Only for the sake of his health… Ah well, with the two boneheads as his guards, he might be safe. He couldn't place his finger exactly but there definitely existed an air of danger about this strange boy.

"Your parents… Muggles? Or wizards who prefer to live in the other world? Living among the normal people, engaging in non-magic activities and struggling to obtain the muggle's definition of the finer things in life? Hnn?" Snape spoke scathingly, wondering if he will get a reaction out of the boy.

"I do not know. And the question is now irrelevant. Sir."

Severus was caught off guard by the sudden change in manner. The words were polite still but the tone was cold and biting. He shifted as the pair of red pupils stared back at him accusingly. It was maroon earlier but he swore they were now a fiery red. Those eyes reminded him of Voldemort, a name and a face, he did not wish to see or remember. But there was a difference. This one showed hurt while the other was pure insanity. Snape closed his eyes, the memories leaving a bitter taste in his mouth. Unsure of what had caused this strong response in the boy, Snape made up his mind. He would leave now.

Albus snapped his fingers quickly and new bowls of deserts appeared on everybody's table. The tense atmosphere broke as the students directed their attentions at them instead of the teachers' table. Snape dropped his fork with a clink on his plate and pushed his chair back, a small uncommon display to indicate he was leaving the table. Normally, he would just stand up and give a brisk farewell without warning, but today, he chose not to further aggravate the situation with his usual actions. Regardless of what people think of him, he was not tactless or rude. He was after all, born and bred in an old fashioned, high-class family where good manners were taught since young. Truth to be told, he opted to act the way he was, for the mere reason of irritating his fellow colleagues and his students. Nodding at the Headmaster, Snape prepared to stand.

~@~@~@~@~@

"A minute please."

A soft voice spoke up. It belonged to the boy.

Settling back, Snape queried cautiously. "Yes?"

"You have not answered my question, Professor." The tone was back to normal and the angry sparks that were radiating from him earlier were gone. In fact, his manner was at ease and it appeared that he had dismissed the incident regarding the asking of his parents. "May I have one please?"

There was a short pause as Snape kept silent, his eyebrows raised. Picking a piece of chocolate from the silver bowl, Snape gave a smirk and drawled, "What is the scientific name for Mandrake, Mr. Calanor?"

"Severus!! Must you do that?!" Minerva exclaimed in shock, only to be ignored by the pale-faced man. She shut her mouth with a 'humph' as Albus whispered something in her ear. Professor Sprout, the Herbology professor, perked up immediately from her end of the table as she overheard the question posed. She was intending to introduce this particular root to the second-years.

"Mandragora, Sir." Michael gingerly accepted the chocolate as Snape held it forward mutely.

"Oh well done!" Professor Sprout crowed, clapping her hands. "Albus! It seems he has some knowledge of plants. Will he be sorted to second-year?"

"Oh, for Merlin's sake, it's only ONE plant." Snape said in disgust.

"Mr. Calanor, what is the spell for levitation?" It was Flitwick who spoke up this time.

Michael munched slowly on his chocolate and looked at the Potions professor apprehensively. He felt slightly guilty at throwing his temper at him… It wasn't the professor's fault. He might not know of my past. He wasn't expecting an answer when he asked for the chocolate. Saved for the sneer, he's not too bad. Oh, a question. Should he answer? Oh well…

"Wingardium leviosa, Professor Flitwick." Professor Flitwick squeaked excitedly and started commenting on how perfect the pronunciation was. Michael gave a small frown. He didn't know having good pronunciation alone could make a professor so happy. Some expectations…

"Do I get a chocolate for that, Professor?" Michael asked Snape, his eyes hopeful.

"Mmm." Snape gave an amused smirk as he saw the boy gleefully taking another piece of the sweet desert. Upon closer observations, he noticed the boy's dressing. Both hands were clad in thin black leather gloves. Sleeveless black leather vest, black leather pants and black leather boots. Even his hair was black, for Merlin's sake. The only colour that stood out was from his eyes. Is this boy having some leather fetish or something? He's clad head to toe in that material! Ha! Somewhat like Lucius in a way… At least he has good taste in clothes colour… Let us see how well his potions are…

"Mr. Calanor, what is aconite and what is wolfbane?" He asked, picking out a chocolate covered cherry from the latest bowl of deserts.

"Is that a trick question?"

"Oh?"

"They are the same! Monkshood, if you prefer another name."

Without another word, he gave the cherry to the boy. Michael didn't like it very much. To him, pure chocolate's the best. As fast as his fingers could pick the chocolate pieces, Severus shot questions left and right at the boy.

"A cure for Petrify?" "What is a bezoar?" "How do you abstract the tooth from the Vlarton Bat?" "When do you add the porcupine quills into the cauldron?" "Which part of the Hewsaft plant is poisonous?"… By the time Severus was convinced the boy DID know his potions, at least, for a first or second year, the bowl was half-empty. He did not mention out loud though that a few of the questions he asked were actually meant for the seventh-years and some, an even higher level. But they were all answered correctly. Where does he learn his potions…

Severus snapped out of his thoughts and looked up sharply when the small wooden door opened suddenly.

~@~@~@~@~@

Pomfrey bustled in and gave a stern nod to Dumbledore. She looked critically at the new boy. He was standing in front of… SEVERUS SNAPE??… AND eating chocolates? Professional as she was, she couldn't help but gaped at the scene. Fluffing the towel in her hands, she approached the drenched boy from behind. He was leaning on his left leg, his right foot barely touching the floor. With a smile, she tapped his shoulder.

Michael was happily and busily eating his chocolate pieces when he felt movement behind him. He knew it couldn't have been an enemy as the Headmaster was still buttering his toast. Yet on instinct, he flinched away when the slight tap he anticipated came.

"Oh I'm sorry! Did I scare you?" Pomfrey asked worriedly when the boy drew back from her touch.

"N-no… No! I wasn't alert, that's all… I'm fine…" Michael replied quickly, giving the middle-age lady a reassuring small smile. He took the towel from her and tousled himself dry.

"You have a broken ankle. Come with me to the nurse room and I will get you fixed up in no time at all. Take this to numb the pain first." Poppy handed over a flask and conjured up a stretcher with a flick of her wand. "Headmaster, I'm sure you have many things to ask, please do so tomorrow morning instead. He can hardly open his eyes!"

Albus had no choice but to agree. Poppy was a kind but stern nurse who had cured hundreds of students from hexes and many potions accidents. Even Severus had to bow down to her sometimes when she spoke in that business-like tone. Reaching out her hand again, Poppy attempted to support Michael onto the stretcher. Laying her hand on his arm, she was disturbed when he jerked away slightly again.

"Relax boy, I won't hurt you…" She said quietly as she looked into the deep pools of red. They were emotionless and still. But as they said, still waters run deep.

"I know." And he sat down on the stretcher without her help. After a quick glance back at Dumbledore, Poppy used her wand to manoeuvre the stretcher away. Upon passing Snape, Michael gave a slight smile. Snape was at a loss. He was not used to such 'friendliness' from students. Choosing the most neutral action, he simply gave a nod.

~@~@~@~@~@

Pushing his dinner away, Severus stood up and declared he had some papers to mark in the office. Walking down the dark corridor, he thought back when Poppy reached for Michael. Twice the boy had flinched. And twice he caught the brief flash of emotions in the dark eyes…

Fear.

A/N: Hi all, that's it for now. Next chapter will be Michael's introduction to the school plus a small sorting hat scene. Plus a little trip to Diagon alley with…… haha bet u can guess who! Sorry for those who were anticipating some adventure scenes. Promise I will write it in later chapters. Like I mention, its jus a feel good fic to show the nicer side of Snape :) Thanks for all your support! Review!