Harry made his way quickly up from the Quidditch grounds after Quidditch
practise, that afternoon; he wanted to speak to Ron and Hermione
desperately. He had decided that he would only tell them about Malfoy and
the train if it was crucial for them to know. It was now.
He had returned to the changing rooms before the others because of a cut on his elbow where a bludger had caught him unawares. It was lucky he had; when he walked into the room, his clothes had been thrown everywhere, and the name tags ripped out. He picked them up quickly and left before anyone could ask where he was going. He had an icy feeling in his stomach as he instantly thought of the person who had done it; Malfoy.
After a while, Harry sped up, feeling very self conscious as he walked through the almost deserted corridors. He passed the statue of the one-eyed witch and remembered all the times he had sneaked out through the passageway concealed in its hump. He liked thinking of these times, when he had no fears of the present, or of the future, no being afraid to leave the castle in case Lord Voldemort or one of his followers tried to kill him. Harry sighed; those days were long forgotten. Suddenly, he heard footsteps approaching behind him. He spun around, one hand already in his robes, already seeing Malfoy's slitted eyes. But when he turned around, he did not see Malfoy. It was Snape. His long, greasy hair illuminated in the dying sunlight cast through the window, he looked from Harry's face, to Harry's wand, protruding back into his robes quickly. He eyed Harry suspiciously for a moment, and then his face resumed its usual look of loathing.
"Potter, come with me." He said shortly, he turned on his heel and walked towards a door on his right; Harry followed. He recognised this room as the one in which Fred and George had introduced him to the Marauder's Map. Snape turned to face him.
"Now, Potter, I would like you to tell me what exactly is going on between yourself and Mr. Malfoy." Harry felt a jolt in the lower regions of his stomach. How did Snape know? Had Malfoy told him? Wait! Harry thought suddenly; don't blurt everything out, he might be playing around something else.
"Going on?" Harry said calmly, trying to make his face look as though he was politely puzzled.
"I didn't think there was anything -" Snape's face contracted and looked dangerous.
"Don't play games with me, Potter!" he snarled, his eyes narrowing. Harry shifted uncomfortable, the cut on his elbow felt painful. Snape took a step closer to him, glancing at the door and then back at Harry.
"The people in Draco's dormitory say he has been talking in his sleep; shouting in his sleep. And they have all told me what they hear him say." Snape's eyes were boring into his, calculating him. Then with a jolt of horror Harry remembered that Snape was a Leglimens, Lupin had told him he was a superb Leglimens. Harry couldn't close his mind to Snape, he had tried to master Occlumency in his previous year, but hadn't been able to.
"What do they say?" Harry asked, barely hiding the note of panic in his voice. Snape lent closer.
"He calls your name, and then says he will kill you." Said Snape, as though these words weren't the point he was trying to get at.
"What have you been doing to him, Potter?" Snape was not far from Harry now. Harry felt a small burn of anger start in his mind; what had HE done to Malfoy? He hadn't done anything; Malfoy was the one in the wrong!
"I haven't done anything to Malfoy!" Harry said angrily. Snape's eyes flashed. Surely Malfoy hadn't told Snape that Harry had been attacking him or something? He was the one following Harry around, hoping to get him on his own and then curse him.
"Potter, just because Professor Dumbledore lets you get away with your arrogance and rule-braking, I certainly won't allow it." Harry could have hit Snape; as usual, he was comparing Harry to his father, James Potter. Harry had indeed seen how arrogant his father had been in his teen years, but he had grown out of it, and Snape loathed Harry with the same hatred and detest. He had always regarded Harry as arrogant, which Harry resented.
"I haven't done anything." Harry said through clenched teeth.
"I have known you long enough to know that you cannot be trusted, Potter. You are a filthy little liar, who is too cowardly to admit they are in the wrong - " Harry shook with anger as he listened, his ears burning.
"I'm not the one in the wrong!" Harry shouted, a little more loudly than he had predicted. Snape raised his eyebrows.
"Oh?" he said, slyly.
"Then who is?" Harry felt really angry now. Snape had tricked him into telling him. Harry bit his lip nervously, he couldn't tell him; he just couldn't. Snape's lip curled in a sneer.
"Keep thinking, I'm sure you'll think up something." He taunted. Harry had had enough; Snape was not going to play with him.
"I think Malfoy attacked me on the train." Harry said quickly, looking Snape straight in the eye. Whatever Snape had expected, it wasn't this.
"What?" He said, brusquely.
"On the Hogwarts Express, I saw him and well, my scar - well, it sort of burst, he was coming at me with a wand...and now he's been following me around the school, and my scar always hurts when I see him. And look," he brought out the torn robes he was carrying, and showed them to Snape, revealing the torn labels and ripped material. Snape looked shocked.
"I've just had Quidditch practise, and when I came back to the changing rooms, these were all over the place. I don't know what he's playing at." Snape looked deep in thought. Suddenly he got up and walked over to the door, he turned and looked Harry in the eye.
"I must speak with Draco. Potter, be warned, if this information gets into the wrong hands..."
"But, Professor!" Harry said, but Snape was gone, Harry ran to the door. Snape had vanished. He half-walked, half-ran all the way to Gryffindor Tower, he had to tell Ron and Hermione. He burst through the portrait hole so quickly, he ran straight into Neville, and they both fell over. Harry stood up slightly dazed and helped Neville to his feet.
"Sorry, Neville." He said apologetically. Neville looked slightly dazed also and swayed slightly. He seemed a bit miserable
"That's alright, Harry." He sniffed. Harry frowned; he couldn't leave Neville so down
"Are you OK?" he asked awkwardly. Neville nodded.
"Yes, I must go Harry, Gran will be here soon." Harry looked puzzled. Neville looked a bit scared, he lent closer to Harry so that no one lese could hear.
"She's come to see Snape about my Potions OWL!" he squeaked, petrified. Harry clapped a hand on Neville's shoulder and smiled encouragingly.
"It'll be fine." He lied. Neville smiled weakly and walked past Harry. Harry suddenly remembered why he had rushed up there so quickly. He spotted Hermione and Ron doing homework in a corner and rushed over. Ron looked up and grinned.
"Oh, Harry! If only you had arrived two minutes earlier, you could have listened to Hermione's lecture on "this year's curriculum in Transfiguration"!" Ron sighed in mock disappointment. Harry waved his hand impatiently.
"That doesn't matter, listen, I have to tell you something." and he told them. He told them everything, from the train, to his scar, to Malfoy. He showed them the torn robes.
"I knew it," Ron muttered, pushing his homework away from him.
"I knew it was him. But Harry, how did he make your scar hurt? Only Voldemort can do that." Harry looked into the fire; how WAS he doing it? Harry couldn't understand, he couldn't fathom the way Malfoy made his scar hurt. Perhaps he was working on Voldemort's orders; his mum and dad were in Voldemort's inner circle.
"Harry, you've got to go to Dumbledore." Hermione said firmly. Her face had gone quite pale when she was listening to Harry and she seemed very scared.
"Now." Harry looked at her for a moment, then he turned his gaze back to the fire. How would he tell Dumbledore? Would Dumbledore believe him? Yes, Harry thought defiantly, Dumbledore always believed him; he had always trusted Harry, unlike Snape.
"After dinner then." He said, looking from one to the other, nodding. They nodded back, not saying anything, their homework deserted on the table.
Plot for chapter:
Snape meets Harry; go into his office. Harry tells Snape about Malfoy. Snape speaks to Malfoy. Malfoy curses Snape Harry tells Ron and Hermione; says he'll tell Dumbledore after dinner.
He had returned to the changing rooms before the others because of a cut on his elbow where a bludger had caught him unawares. It was lucky he had; when he walked into the room, his clothes had been thrown everywhere, and the name tags ripped out. He picked them up quickly and left before anyone could ask where he was going. He had an icy feeling in his stomach as he instantly thought of the person who had done it; Malfoy.
After a while, Harry sped up, feeling very self conscious as he walked through the almost deserted corridors. He passed the statue of the one-eyed witch and remembered all the times he had sneaked out through the passageway concealed in its hump. He liked thinking of these times, when he had no fears of the present, or of the future, no being afraid to leave the castle in case Lord Voldemort or one of his followers tried to kill him. Harry sighed; those days were long forgotten. Suddenly, he heard footsteps approaching behind him. He spun around, one hand already in his robes, already seeing Malfoy's slitted eyes. But when he turned around, he did not see Malfoy. It was Snape. His long, greasy hair illuminated in the dying sunlight cast through the window, he looked from Harry's face, to Harry's wand, protruding back into his robes quickly. He eyed Harry suspiciously for a moment, and then his face resumed its usual look of loathing.
"Potter, come with me." He said shortly, he turned on his heel and walked towards a door on his right; Harry followed. He recognised this room as the one in which Fred and George had introduced him to the Marauder's Map. Snape turned to face him.
"Now, Potter, I would like you to tell me what exactly is going on between yourself and Mr. Malfoy." Harry felt a jolt in the lower regions of his stomach. How did Snape know? Had Malfoy told him? Wait! Harry thought suddenly; don't blurt everything out, he might be playing around something else.
"Going on?" Harry said calmly, trying to make his face look as though he was politely puzzled.
"I didn't think there was anything -" Snape's face contracted and looked dangerous.
"Don't play games with me, Potter!" he snarled, his eyes narrowing. Harry shifted uncomfortable, the cut on his elbow felt painful. Snape took a step closer to him, glancing at the door and then back at Harry.
"The people in Draco's dormitory say he has been talking in his sleep; shouting in his sleep. And they have all told me what they hear him say." Snape's eyes were boring into his, calculating him. Then with a jolt of horror Harry remembered that Snape was a Leglimens, Lupin had told him he was a superb Leglimens. Harry couldn't close his mind to Snape, he had tried to master Occlumency in his previous year, but hadn't been able to.
"What do they say?" Harry asked, barely hiding the note of panic in his voice. Snape lent closer.
"He calls your name, and then says he will kill you." Said Snape, as though these words weren't the point he was trying to get at.
"What have you been doing to him, Potter?" Snape was not far from Harry now. Harry felt a small burn of anger start in his mind; what had HE done to Malfoy? He hadn't done anything; Malfoy was the one in the wrong!
"I haven't done anything to Malfoy!" Harry said angrily. Snape's eyes flashed. Surely Malfoy hadn't told Snape that Harry had been attacking him or something? He was the one following Harry around, hoping to get him on his own and then curse him.
"Potter, just because Professor Dumbledore lets you get away with your arrogance and rule-braking, I certainly won't allow it." Harry could have hit Snape; as usual, he was comparing Harry to his father, James Potter. Harry had indeed seen how arrogant his father had been in his teen years, but he had grown out of it, and Snape loathed Harry with the same hatred and detest. He had always regarded Harry as arrogant, which Harry resented.
"I haven't done anything." Harry said through clenched teeth.
"I have known you long enough to know that you cannot be trusted, Potter. You are a filthy little liar, who is too cowardly to admit they are in the wrong - " Harry shook with anger as he listened, his ears burning.
"I'm not the one in the wrong!" Harry shouted, a little more loudly than he had predicted. Snape raised his eyebrows.
"Oh?" he said, slyly.
"Then who is?" Harry felt really angry now. Snape had tricked him into telling him. Harry bit his lip nervously, he couldn't tell him; he just couldn't. Snape's lip curled in a sneer.
"Keep thinking, I'm sure you'll think up something." He taunted. Harry had had enough; Snape was not going to play with him.
"I think Malfoy attacked me on the train." Harry said quickly, looking Snape straight in the eye. Whatever Snape had expected, it wasn't this.
"What?" He said, brusquely.
"On the Hogwarts Express, I saw him and well, my scar - well, it sort of burst, he was coming at me with a wand...and now he's been following me around the school, and my scar always hurts when I see him. And look," he brought out the torn robes he was carrying, and showed them to Snape, revealing the torn labels and ripped material. Snape looked shocked.
"I've just had Quidditch practise, and when I came back to the changing rooms, these were all over the place. I don't know what he's playing at." Snape looked deep in thought. Suddenly he got up and walked over to the door, he turned and looked Harry in the eye.
"I must speak with Draco. Potter, be warned, if this information gets into the wrong hands..."
"But, Professor!" Harry said, but Snape was gone, Harry ran to the door. Snape had vanished. He half-walked, half-ran all the way to Gryffindor Tower, he had to tell Ron and Hermione. He burst through the portrait hole so quickly, he ran straight into Neville, and they both fell over. Harry stood up slightly dazed and helped Neville to his feet.
"Sorry, Neville." He said apologetically. Neville looked slightly dazed also and swayed slightly. He seemed a bit miserable
"That's alright, Harry." He sniffed. Harry frowned; he couldn't leave Neville so down
"Are you OK?" he asked awkwardly. Neville nodded.
"Yes, I must go Harry, Gran will be here soon." Harry looked puzzled. Neville looked a bit scared, he lent closer to Harry so that no one lese could hear.
"She's come to see Snape about my Potions OWL!" he squeaked, petrified. Harry clapped a hand on Neville's shoulder and smiled encouragingly.
"It'll be fine." He lied. Neville smiled weakly and walked past Harry. Harry suddenly remembered why he had rushed up there so quickly. He spotted Hermione and Ron doing homework in a corner and rushed over. Ron looked up and grinned.
"Oh, Harry! If only you had arrived two minutes earlier, you could have listened to Hermione's lecture on "this year's curriculum in Transfiguration"!" Ron sighed in mock disappointment. Harry waved his hand impatiently.
"That doesn't matter, listen, I have to tell you something." and he told them. He told them everything, from the train, to his scar, to Malfoy. He showed them the torn robes.
"I knew it," Ron muttered, pushing his homework away from him.
"I knew it was him. But Harry, how did he make your scar hurt? Only Voldemort can do that." Harry looked into the fire; how WAS he doing it? Harry couldn't understand, he couldn't fathom the way Malfoy made his scar hurt. Perhaps he was working on Voldemort's orders; his mum and dad were in Voldemort's inner circle.
"Harry, you've got to go to Dumbledore." Hermione said firmly. Her face had gone quite pale when she was listening to Harry and she seemed very scared.
"Now." Harry looked at her for a moment, then he turned his gaze back to the fire. How would he tell Dumbledore? Would Dumbledore believe him? Yes, Harry thought defiantly, Dumbledore always believed him; he had always trusted Harry, unlike Snape.
"After dinner then." He said, looking from one to the other, nodding. They nodded back, not saying anything, their homework deserted on the table.
Plot for chapter:
Snape meets Harry; go into his office. Harry tells Snape about Malfoy. Snape speaks to Malfoy. Malfoy curses Snape Harry tells Ron and Hermione; says he'll tell Dumbledore after dinner.