A/N: I am writing this note before the rest of the chapter to insure that
it gets read. This is my reply to three reviews posted in succession by
someone under the name bewitched. I have only one question. Why the hell
are you reading this story if you are so against it? After your review for
chapter 4, I would have said the only logical thing for you to do would be
to click 'back' and read something more to your taste. No one dictates
what I write, and quite frankly, I think your comments simply show narrow
minded thinking and absolutely no understanding of the story. Now,
constructive criticism is one thing, but I think death threats are another.
So I ask you to either go away, or keep your insults to yourself. Next
time I won't be so polite. Respectfully, Pose.
I do not own any of this!
Chapter 24
Dinner progressed smoothly, and conversation ranged back and forth across the table. Ron and Hermione soon got over their discomfort at having dinner with their headmaster, and soon relaxed into their normal selves. Snape and Sirius were strangely civil, and sarcastic comments were kept to a minimum by all parties.
When they had finally finished eating, they moved back into the main room, and collapsed in their chairs. It was after a few minutes as silence that Sirius asked his first question.
'So Harry, what's this mastery about? I've heard your professor's explanation but I'd like to hear yours.'
Harry shrugged and though about his answer. There were some things he didn't want his godfather to find out. Eventually he answered, uncomfortably aware that everyone was paying close attention to his answer.
'It's fine. I have to work hard, but I enjoy it. Most of the time anyway.'
Sirius nodded his head and continued.
'So what do you study, why can't everyone do this?'
It was Snape who answered this question.
'Not everyone would be able to cope. And there are few masters compared to the number of students there would be if all did so. As for what Harry is learning, well it varies. Everything from Latin, Chemistry, and apparition to animagi and necromancy. Those I teach, then he has some classes with his year mates, such as charms and DADA. If fact, the DADA teacher is also a master.'
Harry was careful to make no comment here, but Ron and Hermione had no such scruples. After glancing at each other, it was Hermione who began.
'Gray isn't much of a teacher!'
Realising their intentions, Harry tried to interrupt, but was silenced with a glare from his best friends. He leant back in his seat and avoided looking at Sirius. It was Snape who spoke next.
'He is a master, I know for a fact you have come on well under his tutelage.'
He knew that he had no chance of halting their tirade against Gray, yet it was his duty to try to do so. And deep down, he wanted his apprentice's godfather to know. Ron snorted and carried on.
'He might be a master but he's also a bastard. What he did was inhuman, and you know it!.'
This last bit was directed at Snape, who didn't answer, but simply pursed his lips. Sirius was looking slightly uncomfortable, and their was a deep frown on Dumbledore's face.
'Would someone like to explain this to me? Harry?'
Harry sent an annoyed glare at Ron. There was no way he was going to discuss this now. Not a chance.
'It's nothing. Their exagarating.'
Sirius started to get impatient.
'Exagarating what?'
Harry stood up.
'Nothing, now can we change the subject please?'
Sirius was about to continue when Dumbledore put a light hand on his shoulder, halting him. In his calm, low voice, he spoke softly, looking at Harry from over his glasses as he addressed his pupil.
'Harry, I think you owe you godfather and myself an explanation. You need not fear our reactions. As an apprentice to the masters I have no control over your traing, and I cannot do anything to change that.'
Harry tried one last time to make them drop it.
'Look, I did something wrong, and I was punished for it, and deservingly so. End of story, discussion over!'
Sirius sat forward slightly in his seat. He spoke slowly, his voice tense.
'What do you mean, punishment?'
Harry clenched his jaw, looking to his master for support. Much to his annoyance, he found none. Seconds passed in silence, and the atmosphere went from happy to angry rapidly. Finally Snape was forced to intervene. Much as he disllkie doing it, if he gave an order Harry could not refuse. He stood, and something in the way he walked over to the sideboard made Harry snap to attention.
When Snape returned he carried something brown in his hands, though only Harry could see what it was. Sitting down, Sirius was looking more and more confused, as well as more angry. When Snape stood in front of him, Harry bowed, feeling a twinge of resentment for the first time in weeks. Snape's voice was precise, and Harry was forced to obey.
'Remove you shirt.'
Harry did so, keeping his eyes locked with his masters as he did so. He wanted Snape to know that he was not happy with the situation. He was forced to look down as Snape passed him what was in his hands. His hand faltered slightly as he felt the course leather under his fingertips. Snape steeped back slightly, before speaking again, the formality of his words designed to remind Harry of his true place.
'Now, apprentice, I give you a choice. Either you explain to your godfather and the Headmaster about your punishments, or I will show them.'
Harry hated him in that moment. He saw Sirius start to speak, then chance his mind. A few feet away, Dumbledore's frown deepened. Sitting on the far side of the fire, Ron and Hermione looked worried.
Almost all the bruises from Christmas Eve had entirely faded, and Harry knew his Godfather had yet to guess the truth. Looking back to his master, Harry did not drop his eyes, making one last desperate attempt to save his Godfather from yet more worry.
Snape had guessed he would not back down easily, and was prepared. He took the strap back from Harry's hands, and walked slightly behind him. His voice was cold.
'Very well.'
Hermione and Ron looked up in horror as the strap was raised. Sirius eyes flashed as realisation struck, and Dumbledore raised an eyebrow, seeing the grimness of Snape's face. Only as Snape was about to strike did Harry finally speak.
'Fine.'
His voice was defeated, and hollow. Looking over at his godfather, he didn't see the sheer relief evident on his master's face. Slowly, he turned around. His voice was weary as he gave his explanation.
Needless to say Sirius was furious, and Harry was forced to stop him from charging out and strangling Gray. Dumbledore too looked concerned, though Harry though he didn't have that much to worry about. Gray couldn't do anything to the other, no matter how angry he was.
After Ron and Hermione had also said their bits, the conversation moved on to lighter things, and Harry was able to finally relax. They went to bed late that night, after promising to meet up the next day after supper. They had planned for earlier, but Snape announced that it was time for Harry to get back to his training.
Probably to ease the worry Sirius was feeling, Snape grudgingly invited him to watch their afternoon training session. Sirius complied, before bidding Harry goodnight, and going to the room Dumbledore had prepared for him. Harry went to his own room and to sleep, so missing the short conversation that passed between his master and Dumbledore. He slept soundly.
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Any comments? You're very privileged to get another chapter so soon, and I hope you all appreciate it! Nothing now till next week. Thanks for any reviews - Pose
I do not own any of this!
Chapter 24
Dinner progressed smoothly, and conversation ranged back and forth across the table. Ron and Hermione soon got over their discomfort at having dinner with their headmaster, and soon relaxed into their normal selves. Snape and Sirius were strangely civil, and sarcastic comments were kept to a minimum by all parties.
When they had finally finished eating, they moved back into the main room, and collapsed in their chairs. It was after a few minutes as silence that Sirius asked his first question.
'So Harry, what's this mastery about? I've heard your professor's explanation but I'd like to hear yours.'
Harry shrugged and though about his answer. There were some things he didn't want his godfather to find out. Eventually he answered, uncomfortably aware that everyone was paying close attention to his answer.
'It's fine. I have to work hard, but I enjoy it. Most of the time anyway.'
Sirius nodded his head and continued.
'So what do you study, why can't everyone do this?'
It was Snape who answered this question.
'Not everyone would be able to cope. And there are few masters compared to the number of students there would be if all did so. As for what Harry is learning, well it varies. Everything from Latin, Chemistry, and apparition to animagi and necromancy. Those I teach, then he has some classes with his year mates, such as charms and DADA. If fact, the DADA teacher is also a master.'
Harry was careful to make no comment here, but Ron and Hermione had no such scruples. After glancing at each other, it was Hermione who began.
'Gray isn't much of a teacher!'
Realising their intentions, Harry tried to interrupt, but was silenced with a glare from his best friends. He leant back in his seat and avoided looking at Sirius. It was Snape who spoke next.
'He is a master, I know for a fact you have come on well under his tutelage.'
He knew that he had no chance of halting their tirade against Gray, yet it was his duty to try to do so. And deep down, he wanted his apprentice's godfather to know. Ron snorted and carried on.
'He might be a master but he's also a bastard. What he did was inhuman, and you know it!.'
This last bit was directed at Snape, who didn't answer, but simply pursed his lips. Sirius was looking slightly uncomfortable, and their was a deep frown on Dumbledore's face.
'Would someone like to explain this to me? Harry?'
Harry sent an annoyed glare at Ron. There was no way he was going to discuss this now. Not a chance.
'It's nothing. Their exagarating.'
Sirius started to get impatient.
'Exagarating what?'
Harry stood up.
'Nothing, now can we change the subject please?'
Sirius was about to continue when Dumbledore put a light hand on his shoulder, halting him. In his calm, low voice, he spoke softly, looking at Harry from over his glasses as he addressed his pupil.
'Harry, I think you owe you godfather and myself an explanation. You need not fear our reactions. As an apprentice to the masters I have no control over your traing, and I cannot do anything to change that.'
Harry tried one last time to make them drop it.
'Look, I did something wrong, and I was punished for it, and deservingly so. End of story, discussion over!'
Sirius sat forward slightly in his seat. He spoke slowly, his voice tense.
'What do you mean, punishment?'
Harry clenched his jaw, looking to his master for support. Much to his annoyance, he found none. Seconds passed in silence, and the atmosphere went from happy to angry rapidly. Finally Snape was forced to intervene. Much as he disllkie doing it, if he gave an order Harry could not refuse. He stood, and something in the way he walked over to the sideboard made Harry snap to attention.
When Snape returned he carried something brown in his hands, though only Harry could see what it was. Sitting down, Sirius was looking more and more confused, as well as more angry. When Snape stood in front of him, Harry bowed, feeling a twinge of resentment for the first time in weeks. Snape's voice was precise, and Harry was forced to obey.
'Remove you shirt.'
Harry did so, keeping his eyes locked with his masters as he did so. He wanted Snape to know that he was not happy with the situation. He was forced to look down as Snape passed him what was in his hands. His hand faltered slightly as he felt the course leather under his fingertips. Snape steeped back slightly, before speaking again, the formality of his words designed to remind Harry of his true place.
'Now, apprentice, I give you a choice. Either you explain to your godfather and the Headmaster about your punishments, or I will show them.'
Harry hated him in that moment. He saw Sirius start to speak, then chance his mind. A few feet away, Dumbledore's frown deepened. Sitting on the far side of the fire, Ron and Hermione looked worried.
Almost all the bruises from Christmas Eve had entirely faded, and Harry knew his Godfather had yet to guess the truth. Looking back to his master, Harry did not drop his eyes, making one last desperate attempt to save his Godfather from yet more worry.
Snape had guessed he would not back down easily, and was prepared. He took the strap back from Harry's hands, and walked slightly behind him. His voice was cold.
'Very well.'
Hermione and Ron looked up in horror as the strap was raised. Sirius eyes flashed as realisation struck, and Dumbledore raised an eyebrow, seeing the grimness of Snape's face. Only as Snape was about to strike did Harry finally speak.
'Fine.'
His voice was defeated, and hollow. Looking over at his godfather, he didn't see the sheer relief evident on his master's face. Slowly, he turned around. His voice was weary as he gave his explanation.
Needless to say Sirius was furious, and Harry was forced to stop him from charging out and strangling Gray. Dumbledore too looked concerned, though Harry though he didn't have that much to worry about. Gray couldn't do anything to the other, no matter how angry he was.
After Ron and Hermione had also said their bits, the conversation moved on to lighter things, and Harry was able to finally relax. They went to bed late that night, after promising to meet up the next day after supper. They had planned for earlier, but Snape announced that it was time for Harry to get back to his training.
Probably to ease the worry Sirius was feeling, Snape grudgingly invited him to watch their afternoon training session. Sirius complied, before bidding Harry goodnight, and going to the room Dumbledore had prepared for him. Harry went to his own room and to sleep, so missing the short conversation that passed between his master and Dumbledore. He slept soundly.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Any comments? You're very privileged to get another chapter so soon, and I hope you all appreciate it! Nothing now till next week. Thanks for any reviews - Pose
