Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Harry Potter characters, nor the location their are camping in. I'll give them back to JK Rowling when I'm done. I'm making no money from this story.
A/N: I really want to say thank you to those who have read my story and reviewed it, including xikum, TommieBoy182, LeeLeePotter, Maximum Poofy-Queen of AU, Arwen Rayne, Corgi1, and so many more. I don't really want to rush Harry and Snape's relationship, as I want it to progress as naturally as possible.
I'm not sure how many chapters I have left to write as I'm making up this story as I go. Again, let me know what you think. Thanks.
Anything between two *, indicates a thought.
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A Camping We Will Go
Chapter 8 - Snape Snarls & Snake Bites
Snape snarled at Hermione, "What, pray tell, is so good about it?" He shifted his gaze to Ron.
"Five points from Gryffindor, Mr. Weasley for your unwanted wake up call." Snape strode over to the fire and sat down on one of the logs.
Ron walked over to Harry and whispered, "Sorry mate, didn't mean for you to wake up next to Mr. Grumpy-puss." Ron looked back and forth from Snape to Harry. "Did Snape sleep in his clothes?"
"I wouldn't know Ron, I tried not to pay too much attention to the man," lied Harry. Harry reached up to the bridge of his nose and rubbed at it worriedly.
Ron noticed his agitation, but misinterpreted it to mean that Harry has a stressful night sleeping next to Snape. "Well, just one more day and night to get through. Perhaps you'll be able to relax as the day goes on."
"Yeah, sure. Perhaps. I'd better go get ready."
"Everyone is taking turns having a dip down at the spring," Ron suggested.
Harry nodded and went off to down towards the spring.
Breakfast went off pretty much without a hitch. Everyone though missed having pumpkin juice to drink, but they settled for the tea that had been prepared. Breakfast consisted of some berries and nuts the students had found growing a few feet from the camp site.
Snape, after having several cups of the brew to help calm himself, refocused on the tasks planned for the day. Snape stood up with a sigh. *Might as well get this over with. I know that today is going to be an even longer day than yesterday. *
"Might I have everyone's attention?" Snape asked. Some of the students closest to him, looked up at him in surprise, for he had just asked for their attention, not demanded in his usual haughty, domineering manner. Hermione noticed this straight off. She flicked her gaze between Harry and the professor. She smiled to herself. *Apparently someone woke up on the right side of bed this morning.*
Snape waited patiently for the silence to spread before continuing on, "I will only outline today's schedule once, so pay close attention."
"You have one free hour to yourselves, please don't take this as an opportunity to get into mischief, otherwise I will be deducting points. After that time, I expect everyone to be ready to go on a two-hour nature hike. The purpose of this hike is two-fold," Snape said with a glare, plus what looked like barely concealed excitement to Harry for only Harry knew what to look for now.
"One, you are to observe and point out as many natural potions ingredients as possible. Some of them can and will likely be a review of the items we passed yesterday morning on the way to the camp site from our portkey site. This can only help those of you who are still in my class with your potions N.E.W.Ts and for those of you still taking Herbology."
"The second reason for this hike is to gather as many of these fresh ingredients as possible. Each of you will only carry one item in particular, as I don't want them to intermix with any of the others. Try to remember what ingredient it is you are carrying, for if you can, I will around each student one house point a piece."
Snape muttered to himself, "And if the hike tires you all out, so much the better for me." Snape internally cheered at that idea.
"After the hike, we will come back for lunch, the afternoon will spent in leisurely pursuit. I'm sure many of you will want to go back to thermal spring for a few hours. Everyone will then prepare and help with the dinner to follow. The early evening, once again is for your own amusement. I hope you won't require my help in finding something to do. However if you are bored and you are one of my students, then you should study."
With that, Snape turned and went back into his tent to retrieve a book called 'North American Vegetation and Wildlife for Use in Potion Making'. Harry followed in after Snape and went to his sack and retrieved a deck of regular playing cards. Snape raised an eyebrow in question.
"I'm going to teach Ron a muggle card game called Poker."
Severus knew about poker and chuckled. "As long as you don't play for knuts or galleons or ... clothing, I see no problem with it."
"Clothing?" asked Harry. Severus grinned at Harry's naivety. *Ah! To be young and innocent again.*
"Never mind, I'll explain it to you at some later date."
Harry thought about it for a moment and then it dawned on him what Severus meant. Harry blushed bright red at the idea. Severus chuckled again.
"Or maybe not," said Severus.
"Since Ron hasn't played before, we won't be betting with anything, least of all clothing," Harry replied. "Besides, why would I want to win any of Ron's clothes? They wouldn't fit me in the least." Harry had an innocent expression on his face one that was patently false. He tried holding it for several seconds, but then rolled onto the floor of the tent laughing softly. Severus joined him.
"Brat!"
"See, I told you I was good for a few laughs." Harry smiled at Severus.
"So it would seem. Now go on! Go play, have fun. Whatever it is you brats do." Severus waved him out of the tent.
Both left the tent and headed in different directions, Snape went to the same spot he had occupied last night while reading, and Harry joined Ron on a blanket several feet from the banked fire. Hermione also occupied a portion of the blanket. She too seemed to think it would be best to study up some on plants. Harry was just glad that it wasn't the exact same book as what Severus was reading, otherwise that would be just too weird.
Harry explained the rules of the game and some of the variations that were used. While Harry was doing this, some of the other muggle born students wandered over and took an interest. They all played a few rounds before their free hour was up.
Snape stood up, took his book back to the tent and came out and suggested they secure their belongings.
"Even though you are here as 'muggles', I would advise you that you keep your wands on your person."
With that Professor Snape turned and lead them down a new trail.
Over the next hour and half, the professor and the students had gone over several miles of trail and had started to backtrack. They had found 13 plants and other items, like mushrooms, that could be used in potions. Snape, in order to disguise his glee at gathering so many fresh potion items, snarled at each student in turn as they pointed out and gathered each item.
Ron and Harry were the only two students not carrying an item and were at the back of the line of students, talking to each other.
Suddenly, Ron tripped on a rock in the path and fell face forward slightly off to the right edge of the trail. He used his hands to catch his fall. Unfortunately, nestled under the brush was a napping snake, who when startled, struck Ron and bit him on his right hand. Ron gasped out loud in pain.
"Ron!" Harry yelled and instead of helping Ron, took off after the snake. He knew that if he talked with the snake, he could find out if it were poisonous or not.
Snape and the students whirled around at Harry's yell, and the students parted as Snape pushed past them.
"Mr. Weasley, what is the matter?" Snape kneeled down to the ground next to Ron.
"Snake bite, sir. Hurts something fierce." Ron was squeezing his wrist just above where the snake bit.
"And where did Mr. Potter go?" Snape asked.
"I think he went after the snake, professor." Ron pointed off into the woods. Snape could just make out the sounds of tree limbs being pushed aside and foot steps crushing fallen twigs.
"Smart boy. Let's hope he can catch the snake before it ducks into a hole."
Meanwhile, Harry followed the snake. He yelled to it, "Ssstop!" He realized just how handy being a parseltongue can be.
The snake slowed and turned it's head in the direction of Harry. "Whhat did you sssay?" it hissed.
"I assked you to ssstop."
"You can sspeak to me? Amazzzing." The snake slithered around and moved over to where Harry was standing. "Whhat do you want?"
Harry leaned down and placed his hand slowly to the ground next to the snake. "Pleassse, climb onto my arm. My friendsss will not harm you."
The snake tasted the air around Harry with his forked tongue. It tasted the truth that Harry spoke and coiled it's length around Harry's arm. Harry slowly lifted up his arm and just before touching the snake's head he asked it, "May I rub your head?"
The snake bobbed his head up and down in confirmation. Harry gently rubbed one finger along the top of the snake's head. The snake hissed in pleasure.
Harry slowly walked back the way he came and along the way, asked the snake if it were poisonous.
"Not really, my toxin is for paralzzzying my victimsss. Mostly sssmall rodentsss. Your human friend will just sssuffer a mild tingling sssensssation for a few minutesss and then will be fine."
Harry finally emerged from the trees and came to the trail just a few feet down from the group clustered around Ron and Professor Snape.
The students parted like a wave when they saw Harry and appeared nervous when they saw the snake wrapped around his lower arm.
Snape looked at Harry. Snape almost smiled at him, and hastily curtailed it when he realized that they were still amoung the students. "Very good, Mr. Potter, for your quick thinking, ten points to Gryffindor." The students reaction to Harry having received points instead of having lost points from Professor Snape was one of amazement, they were all stunned.
"So, is the snake poisonous?" asked the professor.
"No, sir. The snake says he just temporarily paralyzes his victims, mainly small rodents. He said that for humans, it would just result in a tingling sensation that would last for a few minutes." Harry looked down at Ron in question.
"Yeah, Harry, that's about all I'm feeling, or not feeling as the case may be. Just a slight numbness along my arm and shoulder." Ron cradled his right arm with his left.
"You should rest here a few more minutes, Mr. Weasley until the toxin has had a chance to work through your system. Ms. Granger and Mr. Zabini, kindly lead the other students on to the camp site. Make sure they keep their plant clippings in a separate location each. Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley, and I will be along behind you shortly."
The others moved off along the trail and disappeared around a bend. Snape pointed to the snake on Harry's arm, "Perhaps you should put it back on the ground off the trail, Mr. Potter."
Harry looked down at the snake, "Would you like me to put you back into your resting ssspot?"
"Yesss, pleassse," the snake agreed. Harry thanked it and placed it back into it's hiding spot.
"Well, Mr. Weasley, do you feel you can get up and move again?"
"Yes, Professor Snape." Harry and Snape each took hold under one of Ron's arms and gently lifted him until he could gain his footing.
"Anything else feeling numb?" Snape asked Ron, who shook his head negatively. "Alright then, let's get back to the camp and prepare lunch."
So the three men walked back to camp, Snape and Harry on either side of Ron in case he needed it. Ron, looked back and forth from Harry to Snape as covertly as he knew how, thinking to himself, *They seem awfully civil to each other. Come to think on it, Snape's been fairly decent to all the students, more fair in his point taking or giving.* Ron was thoroughly confused. He wasn't sure anymore how he should respond to Snape. Ron shrugged internally and shoved his disturbing thoughts away. *I'll discuss it with Hermione later, she'll straighten me out.*
tbc