Disclaimer: Alas, I do not own any of the characters in this story. They
were all created by the wonderful author, J.K. Rowling. The only
characters that are truly mine are Angeline, Lyle, and a few lesser
characters that will pop up from time to time.
A/N: Thanks a bunch Chary, Abby, Forsestsilver, and Tina for reviewing! =)
~Chapter 12~
Harry awoke with a pounding headache about an hour before breakfast. He rolled over and pulled his glasses from his small bureau. Moments later, Fred and Ron came over to his bed. "You feel any better, Harry?" Ron's concern for his friend was evident.
Harry ran through the last twenty-four hours in his head. "I'm so sorry for yelling like I did, Ron."
Ron smiled. "No problem. Professor Atwood explained everything after we took you up to the room yesterday. She also said that Madam Pomfrey wanted you to take these when you got up." Ron handed Harry two small, white pills. "She said you'd have a wicked headache today."
"That's an understatement," Harry said as he took the pills. As they headed downstairs, Harry stopped with a look of panic.
"What's the matter?"
"We have double potions today, right?"
"Yeah, why?"
"Great. Simply wonderful. I punched Snape in the mouth yesterday, and I'll wager that he's not in a forgiving or sociable mood today."
Fred laughed. "Why can't I ever be around for the fun stuff?"
After breakfast, the Slytherins and Gryffindors sat whispering in potions. The latest topic of conversation was the upcoming Yule Ball. Once more the girls were standing in swarms giggling away while boys were practicing their pick-up lines and debating on who they were taking. Much to Harry's relief, no one seemed to know anything of the prior day's events.
"Who are you going to take, Harry?" Ron asked in his softest whisper.
"I haven't really thought about it." Harry's head wasn't throbbing as bad, but he still felt drained. He had pushed the Ball from his mind mostly due to the discomfort that it brought with it. Last year he had to take someone that he did not want to take because he waited until the last moment to ask Cho to go with him and she already had a date. He wanted to ask her again, but he didn't want to risk being told no again.
"I was thinking about who I should bring all through breakfast." Hermione shot an irritated warning glance at Ron jus daring him to get a high attitude.
"And who might that be?" she said coldly.
"Well, I thought I'd leave my door of opportunity open. I might even go stag."
"Is that so? I suppose I'll be sending an owl to an old friend from last year~"
"What do you mean?" Ron's voice rose causing a few people to turn around and stare. Luckily Snape walked in and Ron and Hermione could no longer argue.
Snape picked up a parchment and checked to see that everyone was present. He paused when he came to Harry's name but quickly resumed his roll. "We will be having a pop quiz today. The parchments that you will receive contain an anti-cheating charm, so I advise you to answer honestly and without assistance." Panicked looks filled the room. A pop quiz after a Quidditch match and a long weekend was a brutal way to begin the week. "You have thirty minutes to complete the quiz. At the end of thirty minutes, your parchments will disappear and you shall copy down the ingredients on the board and then prepare a shielding potion that you will drink toward the end of class. Its effects are meant to last two hours… IF you manage to prepare it properly. After you have taken the potion, you will wait twenty minutes, partner with someone in the room, and duel with your wands." Snape placed the parchments on the tables, sat down at his desk, and said, "You may begin."
Quills began to move furiously after a preliminary pause to read the instructions. Harry struggled to remember the fifth ingredient in sleeping potions as Ron ran his hand through his hair in an attempt to summon the definition of seleth proportioning. Hermione, of course, finished with time to spare. She sat reading over her answers when the parchments disappeared. A few groans were expressed, but a glare from the desk quickly quieted the room. Forty minutes before class ended, everyone drank their potions and spent twenty minutes whispering as quietly as possible while Snape graded the parchments. Finally, Snape stood and gave the quizzes back. "I can see that this term has been a complete waste of your time and mine. I expect much more out of each of you than you are putting into this class. Let us find out if you can at least follow directions. Choose your partners and duel."
Harry partnered with Neville. At least if his potion didn't work, he didn't have to worry about turning into anything too horrible. Ron and Hermione raised their wands in preparation. They were still angry with one another and were ready to get rid of some frustration. On command, hexes and curses went flying about the room. Harry and Neville's potions worked, much to their relief. Hermione's wand shot green sparks at Ron at the same moment that Ron shot red sparks a her. There was an exploding sound as a ball of sparks shot across the room, catching Crabbe's robe on fire and sending smoke and flames in every direction. Several students screamed and jumped behind tables for protection. Snape himself just barely escaped being singed. Harry raised his wand and said, "Flamari aquiana!" at the same moment as Snape. All the sparks across the room were put out, and everyone emerged from their hiding places.
"What just happened here?" Snape stormed up to where Ron and Hermione stood with their mouths gaping.
"I…I…don't know, Sir." Hermione struggled to get the words out.
"It was my fault, Sir, but it was an accident," Ron said quietly as he fidgeted with his robes and stared at the floor.
"Explain."
"Well, you see, Sir…I knew Hermione would find a way to break my shielding potion…so I used a reflection charm just as she aimed her wand…and…" Ron trailed off.
"It's not all Ron's fault, Sir. I knew the counter spell, and when my spell hit his reflection charm, it hit Crabbe…"
Crabbe, who was nursing a small burn on his arm, spoke up. "I was doing a firecracker hex, Professor. I suppose that's what started the fire spinning across the room."
Everyone stood silently as Snape surveyed the damage. Hermione and Ron felt the hair on the back of their necks stand on end as Snape showed what must have been a sinister smile. "Well, perhaps this term has not been a complete waste after all. You have just worked through a rather intriguing problem and have come up with some interesting explanations. However, Mr. Weasley, Ms.Granger, there is much more to what just occurred. That should give you both something to think about while you are cleaning the room after lunch tomorrow." Snape received a chorused, 'Yes, Sir.' "Furthermore, fifteen points shall be awarded to Slytherin for impressive hex usage."
Evil glares were given across the room from several Gryffindors. This soon subsided with Snape's next sentence. "Mr. Potter, you have earned your house twenty-five points for bringing the situation under control without dramatics - for a change." Snape dismissed class and sat down at his desk. There was a small singed mark where a flame had landed earlier. Snape pushed his hair out of his eyes and sighed.
"I thought you handled that rather well." Angeline was leaning against the door frame smiling down the isle at Snape. "I haven't seen a wand reaction like that in years. Never a dull moment, eh?"
"Something like that." Snape stood to join her at the door.
"Are you chaperoning the next trip to Hogsmeade?"
"No, thankfully it is someone else's turn to baby-sit."
"Oh, alright then." She smiled deceptively at him.
"What are you up to? You're acting like a child in a candy store."
"Oh, nothing worth discussing. I just needed to know if you were going, that's all. I've got to go. I have another class in a few minutes."
"Wait," Snape was watching her with growing curiosity. Calmly, he began, "If you don't have any other plans, would you care to accompany me to the Yule Ball?"
Angeline's smile changed to an expressionless stare. Snape tried to read her face, but failed. Growing a bit self-conscious, he added, "I mean, you are under no obligation, of course. I'll understand if you don't want~"
"I'd love for you to escort me, Severus. I can't think of anyone I'd rather spend my evening with."
Snape was now a bit taken aback. He hadn't really expected her to agree, and certainly not so whole-heartedly. Angeline's smile returned and she moved down the hall to her classroom. Snape watched her walk away, a small amount of pride rising within him. Angeline was very attractive. He couldn't believe that she had actually said yes.
Immediately Snape felt like he was a teenager again. It had been a long time since he had been on a 'date,' and he allowed a small amount of nervousness to creep into his system. "She did seem a bit reluctant at first, though," Snape thought to himself. "Perhaps she was just being nice." His next class began to fill in, and he immediately resumed his natural frame of mind.
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A/N: I know that having a curse to counter a potion is probably pretty far fetched, but as my best friend once said, "If anyone could figure out how, Hermione could." =)
A/N: Thanks a bunch Chary, Abby, Forsestsilver, and Tina for reviewing! =)
~Chapter 12~
Harry awoke with a pounding headache about an hour before breakfast. He rolled over and pulled his glasses from his small bureau. Moments later, Fred and Ron came over to his bed. "You feel any better, Harry?" Ron's concern for his friend was evident.
Harry ran through the last twenty-four hours in his head. "I'm so sorry for yelling like I did, Ron."
Ron smiled. "No problem. Professor Atwood explained everything after we took you up to the room yesterday. She also said that Madam Pomfrey wanted you to take these when you got up." Ron handed Harry two small, white pills. "She said you'd have a wicked headache today."
"That's an understatement," Harry said as he took the pills. As they headed downstairs, Harry stopped with a look of panic.
"What's the matter?"
"We have double potions today, right?"
"Yeah, why?"
"Great. Simply wonderful. I punched Snape in the mouth yesterday, and I'll wager that he's not in a forgiving or sociable mood today."
Fred laughed. "Why can't I ever be around for the fun stuff?"
After breakfast, the Slytherins and Gryffindors sat whispering in potions. The latest topic of conversation was the upcoming Yule Ball. Once more the girls were standing in swarms giggling away while boys were practicing their pick-up lines and debating on who they were taking. Much to Harry's relief, no one seemed to know anything of the prior day's events.
"Who are you going to take, Harry?" Ron asked in his softest whisper.
"I haven't really thought about it." Harry's head wasn't throbbing as bad, but he still felt drained. He had pushed the Ball from his mind mostly due to the discomfort that it brought with it. Last year he had to take someone that he did not want to take because he waited until the last moment to ask Cho to go with him and she already had a date. He wanted to ask her again, but he didn't want to risk being told no again.
"I was thinking about who I should bring all through breakfast." Hermione shot an irritated warning glance at Ron jus daring him to get a high attitude.
"And who might that be?" she said coldly.
"Well, I thought I'd leave my door of opportunity open. I might even go stag."
"Is that so? I suppose I'll be sending an owl to an old friend from last year~"
"What do you mean?" Ron's voice rose causing a few people to turn around and stare. Luckily Snape walked in and Ron and Hermione could no longer argue.
Snape picked up a parchment and checked to see that everyone was present. He paused when he came to Harry's name but quickly resumed his roll. "We will be having a pop quiz today. The parchments that you will receive contain an anti-cheating charm, so I advise you to answer honestly and without assistance." Panicked looks filled the room. A pop quiz after a Quidditch match and a long weekend was a brutal way to begin the week. "You have thirty minutes to complete the quiz. At the end of thirty minutes, your parchments will disappear and you shall copy down the ingredients on the board and then prepare a shielding potion that you will drink toward the end of class. Its effects are meant to last two hours… IF you manage to prepare it properly. After you have taken the potion, you will wait twenty minutes, partner with someone in the room, and duel with your wands." Snape placed the parchments on the tables, sat down at his desk, and said, "You may begin."
Quills began to move furiously after a preliminary pause to read the instructions. Harry struggled to remember the fifth ingredient in sleeping potions as Ron ran his hand through his hair in an attempt to summon the definition of seleth proportioning. Hermione, of course, finished with time to spare. She sat reading over her answers when the parchments disappeared. A few groans were expressed, but a glare from the desk quickly quieted the room. Forty minutes before class ended, everyone drank their potions and spent twenty minutes whispering as quietly as possible while Snape graded the parchments. Finally, Snape stood and gave the quizzes back. "I can see that this term has been a complete waste of your time and mine. I expect much more out of each of you than you are putting into this class. Let us find out if you can at least follow directions. Choose your partners and duel."
Harry partnered with Neville. At least if his potion didn't work, he didn't have to worry about turning into anything too horrible. Ron and Hermione raised their wands in preparation. They were still angry with one another and were ready to get rid of some frustration. On command, hexes and curses went flying about the room. Harry and Neville's potions worked, much to their relief. Hermione's wand shot green sparks at Ron at the same moment that Ron shot red sparks a her. There was an exploding sound as a ball of sparks shot across the room, catching Crabbe's robe on fire and sending smoke and flames in every direction. Several students screamed and jumped behind tables for protection. Snape himself just barely escaped being singed. Harry raised his wand and said, "Flamari aquiana!" at the same moment as Snape. All the sparks across the room were put out, and everyone emerged from their hiding places.
"What just happened here?" Snape stormed up to where Ron and Hermione stood with their mouths gaping.
"I…I…don't know, Sir." Hermione struggled to get the words out.
"It was my fault, Sir, but it was an accident," Ron said quietly as he fidgeted with his robes and stared at the floor.
"Explain."
"Well, you see, Sir…I knew Hermione would find a way to break my shielding potion…so I used a reflection charm just as she aimed her wand…and…" Ron trailed off.
"It's not all Ron's fault, Sir. I knew the counter spell, and when my spell hit his reflection charm, it hit Crabbe…"
Crabbe, who was nursing a small burn on his arm, spoke up. "I was doing a firecracker hex, Professor. I suppose that's what started the fire spinning across the room."
Everyone stood silently as Snape surveyed the damage. Hermione and Ron felt the hair on the back of their necks stand on end as Snape showed what must have been a sinister smile. "Well, perhaps this term has not been a complete waste after all. You have just worked through a rather intriguing problem and have come up with some interesting explanations. However, Mr. Weasley, Ms.Granger, there is much more to what just occurred. That should give you both something to think about while you are cleaning the room after lunch tomorrow." Snape received a chorused, 'Yes, Sir.' "Furthermore, fifteen points shall be awarded to Slytherin for impressive hex usage."
Evil glares were given across the room from several Gryffindors. This soon subsided with Snape's next sentence. "Mr. Potter, you have earned your house twenty-five points for bringing the situation under control without dramatics - for a change." Snape dismissed class and sat down at his desk. There was a small singed mark where a flame had landed earlier. Snape pushed his hair out of his eyes and sighed.
"I thought you handled that rather well." Angeline was leaning against the door frame smiling down the isle at Snape. "I haven't seen a wand reaction like that in years. Never a dull moment, eh?"
"Something like that." Snape stood to join her at the door.
"Are you chaperoning the next trip to Hogsmeade?"
"No, thankfully it is someone else's turn to baby-sit."
"Oh, alright then." She smiled deceptively at him.
"What are you up to? You're acting like a child in a candy store."
"Oh, nothing worth discussing. I just needed to know if you were going, that's all. I've got to go. I have another class in a few minutes."
"Wait," Snape was watching her with growing curiosity. Calmly, he began, "If you don't have any other plans, would you care to accompany me to the Yule Ball?"
Angeline's smile changed to an expressionless stare. Snape tried to read her face, but failed. Growing a bit self-conscious, he added, "I mean, you are under no obligation, of course. I'll understand if you don't want~"
"I'd love for you to escort me, Severus. I can't think of anyone I'd rather spend my evening with."
Snape was now a bit taken aback. He hadn't really expected her to agree, and certainly not so whole-heartedly. Angeline's smile returned and she moved down the hall to her classroom. Snape watched her walk away, a small amount of pride rising within him. Angeline was very attractive. He couldn't believe that she had actually said yes.
Immediately Snape felt like he was a teenager again. It had been a long time since he had been on a 'date,' and he allowed a small amount of nervousness to creep into his system. "She did seem a bit reluctant at first, though," Snape thought to himself. "Perhaps she was just being nice." His next class began to fill in, and he immediately resumed his natural frame of mind.
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A/N: I know that having a curse to counter a potion is probably pretty far fetched, but as my best friend once said, "If anyone could figure out how, Hermione could." =)