A/N: Such an outpouring of response! I guess people have been looking for a story like this, too?
Sorry for not updating as quick as I usually do, but my mom went in for surgery on Thursday
and I've been extremely busy with homework. Now it's the weekend, and I'll be able to
write a lot, so hopefully I can write enough to stockpile extras for the school week.
Disclaimer: I'm getting good at remebering these! Harry doesn't belong to me, blah, blah, blah. I only own Amelia and Ebony-Crested Dragon snakes. Oh, and I do use some of the same techniques Rowling uses with some fun lines I always enjoyed, so please don't sue me! I need all the money I can get for my student ambassador trip!
Chapter 5: Staring Teachers and Grinning Dogs
--------------------------------------------------
"Hey, you see that Harry Potter?"
"Yeah, the one that was supposedly dead?"
"Do you believe the rumours about You-Know-Who?"
"He's a dark wizard, he is."
Harry was at breakfast, and already he was being hounded by people coming over to ask him questions, and while he did enjoy the looks on their faces, it was starting to grate on his nerves. Amelia peeked out from under Harry's sleeve, and he gave her a small bit of sausage. He turned to Draco and Blaise sitting across from him as they sat at the end of the table furthest from the staff.
"Hey, Draco," he said, pointing up towards the staff table, "Do you know who that sickly guy is? He keeps looking at me."
Draco paused from his porridge, looked up at the guy in question, and shrugged as the man looked away. "No idea. Harry, lots of people are looking at you; I mean, you have announced to a prominently Light supporting school you were brought up by Voldemort. He may have heard about it."
Blaise looked interestedly at both of them as they talked, and her eyes rested on Harry when they stopped.
"What's he like, Harry?"
Harry just smiled. "He's a very nice person to me, Draco, and a few other Deatheaters. Of course, he keeps up his badass image in front of the main group, but inside, he is a completely different person than what these people say."
"Well," said Draco, starting on his porridge again, "You can't change what they've been brought up to believe."
Breakfast had ended, and everyone went off to their lessons, Harry and Draco looking over their identical schedules with Blaise.
"Let's see. First off is Defence Against the Dark Arts," said Draco as they now took the staircases up a floor.
Harry looked puzzled. "Defence? Why do you need defence against them?"
"They'll need to know it if they want to protect themselves from Voldemort and his Dark Heir!" said Draco dramatically, albeit loudly, causing everyone to stop and look at the little first years.
Harry got Draco and new friend Blaise to start walking again. "Really, Draco, we need to stop doing that so often."
"But it's so much fun!" he laughed as they stepped into the Defence Against the Dark Arts room.
"Yes, I agree it's fun," Harry sighed, sitting down right in the front with Blaise and Draco on either side, "But it will make us late for class!"
As the other first years found their way here, Harry looked around the room. There were many Dark things in here, he could feel them, just as Tom had taught him to do.
"Just because they're Dark like us, it doesn't mean they won't attack you."
Perhaps this class wouldn't be so bad.
He looked up at the teacher, who was again staring at him again.
Maybe not.
"Draco, he's looking at me again."
Draco laughed and pointed, "I think his dog likes you, as well!"
Harry looked down at his lap, where a large black dog with bright, blue eyes rested its massive head on his knee, staring intently into his eyes. This dog was giving him the creeps, he thought, standing up. He placed his hand on the dog's shoulder and guided it past the teacher to a large basket that had to be its bed. He spotted something in the large basket, something that looked oddly familiar...
He didn't even notice the dog growling at him as he picked up a small, slightly burned blanket with dogs just like this one stiched on the fabric. Images flashed through his head....
A man with shoulder-length black hair was playing peek a boo with him on the floor...
A slightly sad looking man was smiling at him while reading a bed time story...
Both men giving him a blanket just like this one...
Harry felt the blanket fall out of his loose grip as someone pulled him back. It was the professor, and the man now stood between Harry and the dog.
"Sorry, Professor," Harry said dazedly, quickly shaking the images from his head, "That blanket just looked so familiar. I could have sworn..."
The man just smiled at him as the dog put the blanket back in the basket and glared at Harry. 'It that even possble for a dog to do?'
"It's quite all right. My dog Snuffles is just protective of that blanket. Go sit down; class is about to start."
Draco snickered at Harry as the ebony-haired boy sat down, looking embarassed.
The teacher now came to the front of the room. The man, though still good-looking, had a worn appearance about him. His face was rather gaunt, and his light brown hair was slightly streaked with grey. His eyes were smiling, though, as he addressed the class.
"Well, welcome to Defence Against the Dark Arts, Slytherin first years!"
Harry swore he heard the dog snort at this comment.
"My name is Professor Lupin. This year, we will be covering some mild curses and hexes. If you all could get out your books while I take attendance, please."
There was a small amount of shuffling and whispers as they pulled out their defence books, and sat quietly after as Lupin read off the students' names, finally getting to Blaise. Harry groaned as he realized his name would be missing from attendance rolls in every single class.
Professor Lupin looked up, smiling, and and, "Is there anyone I've missed?"
Harry sighed and raised his hand, "You've forgotten me, sir."
Lupin looked at him and perching his quill over the roll to write down Harry's name, he asked kindly, "And your name?"
"Harry Potter, sir."
All that was heard was the sound off a quill hitting the floor as the Professor looked him up and down, face wrought in confusion and... was that amazement? Harry didn't know, but the sound of his name even seemed to grab the dog's attention, who was now staring at Harry and... was that dog grinning?!
"Well, class, um, ah, yes!" said Lupin, regaining his composure. "Let's get started then. Open your books to page 10 while we discuss the general criteria of what makes any spell Dark."
-------------------------------------
"Well, Transfiguration couldn't have been more awful," said Blaise as the three walked out under the eye of McGonagall towards dinner.
"That's only because you couldn't change your match into a needle!" smirked Draco as they leisurely walked down the main staircase.
"If I recall, Draco, you seem to have had difficulties as well," said Harry, getting a grateful grin from Blaise and a mock-sneer from Draco.
"Just because you had to be all perfect. Who has ever seen a first year Transfigure the match to a needle by the second try? I ask you!" grumbled Draco, sitting down and giving himself a piece of chicken while Harry ate some fried potatoes.
"You know Tom taught me magic as best he could without giving me a wand, and I read all those books."
"Do you like to read, Harry?" asked Blaise, her silver and black hair catching the light.
"Well, yeah, I love to. You see, Tom never really let me out of the chateau much, so when Draco wasn't there and Tom went for business trips, my only company was the house elves and the books."
Blaise gave him what looked like a sympathetic look before returning to her dinner, which made him slightly uneasy; he hated sympathy. And over her shoulder he saw the red-headed Ron stalking towards him, a mixture of fear and anger in his face, and Draco watched as Harry closed his eyes in silent rage. All day people had been asking him questions, even to the point where Harry missed lunch because no one would give the boy a moment's peace.
'This isn't going to turn out well,' thought Draco, watching Ron tap Harry on the shoulder.
"Are you really-"
Harry's last nerve of patience snapped. The fuming boy stood up and faced the Hall full of people now watching him.
"I will answer all of your questions now!" Harry shouted to the quiet students and staff. He noticed Lupin and his dog were watching him with special interest. "Yes, I am Harry Potter! Yes, the Harry Potter that supposedly died in the Godric's Hollow Tragedy! Yes, I've seen Voldemort! Yes, I was raised by him! And no, I can't explain what he's like because none of you would believe me! Ask Ron if you want to know what he looks like!"
Ron got fearful at this and shouted, "How would I know what he looks like?!"
Harry ground his teeth and yelled, "Because you saw him quite plainly when he dropped me off with you and your family!"
Harry snorted in dissatisfaction, sitting back down to his dinner, and watched as Ron was surrounded by students while walking back to the Gryffindor table. And all Gods, would Lupin and that dog stop staring at him?!
---------------------------------
Later that night would find Remus, Sirius, and Severus all sitting down in an empty classroom with Silencing Charms set up so no one could eavesdrop. Severus watched his two old classmates' faces, both pale and mouths hanging slightly open. He could just see a tiny blanket in the mutt's hands.
"Well..." started Severus, hoping to stir them to action. He had to go grade papers.
"Why didn't anyone tell us before classes started?" asked Remus. Sirius seemed to be off somewhere else entirely.
"If I remember correctly, the headmaster wanted to give you a surprise," Severus sneered, folding his arms.
"And Voldemort raised him? Voldemort's still alive?"
"Yes, Voldemort raised him. He finished off Potter and Lily, but he failed to kill the boy with Avada Kedavra. He barely dodged it, and the boy was left with with that scar on his forehead. After that, he simply placed Erebus under a Glamour Charm-" He instantly realized it a moment too late he had said too much, and Sirius launched towards him, knocking him against the stone wall heavily.
"You knew!!" growled Sirius.
"Sirius!" said Remus, but Sirius just turned to look at his friend.
"He knew! He knew this entire time! He knew Harry was alive and never told anyone!" He grabbed the greasy haired man by the throat threateningly, saying, "Why shouldn't I just kill you now?"
Severus sneered, "Because I didn't know it was Harry, Black!"
"How could you not know?" asked Remus, looking genuinely interested. "He looks exactly like James and has Lily's eyes. How could you not know?"
"If you were listening," scoffed Severus, "I've already said the boy had been placed under a Glamour charm, and he had a false name. I knew him as Erebus, the son of the Dark Lord. And if you want to know-" he he paused to grin horribly at Sirius "- he absolutely loves me. He adores his Uncle Sev."
When he woke up, Severus realized they had left him alone and on the floor on the old room. He laughed and rubbed his sore cheek, "Of course, I knew that punch was coming. Black always has such a bad temper."
And the Potions professor left the room, heading towards the Hospital Wing to get the bruise fixed.
-------------------------------------------
A/N: It seemed like a good place to stop. I love Severus, but I like the Marauders more; besides, Sev was just asking for that punch, wasn't he? How will Remus and Sirius handle all this new information? Will Harry still be bugged, or did his outburst at Ron help alleviate the problem? Find out next time!
Read and review!
Review responses:
ReflectionsOfReality: Thank you for that review! I must have had a huge grin on my face for half an
hour! By the way, I absolutely love your story! I had to get off before I could
review, but I am going to avidly follow your story. Thanks so much! *teary
eyes*
RougeEnchantress: You got up to read my story extra early?! Are you in high school?! Wow. I
am honoured. Thank you very much!
HermioneGreen: You'd think Dumbledore and McGonagall were smarter, wouldn't you? However,
I've grown to think of them as having a rather high opinion of their magical
knowledge, no matter what they say, and Dumbledore is simply a manipulator
with Minerva as his puppet. They didn't bother to search that hard because they
really didn't expect Harry to have survived. Again, underestimation. Thanks for
being so loyal!
Shorty: Okay, my friend, I now we're studying hookworms and such in Zoology, but did you really
have to mention those in the review? I'm going to get out one of Mr. Lee's snakes now, just
for you! *evil smile* And yes, you are a mortal, silly child. CONSTANT VIGILANCE!!!
The stupid Gryffindor: I've said it once, my friend, and I'll say it again: Stupid Gryffindor! hehehe
asdfds: Thanks for putting me on your favorites list! Now I feel warm and fuzzy. The fuzziness!
Falafal: You like Amelia? I'll be sure to tell her counterpart tomorrow in Zoology. She loves the
positive responses to her, even if she is scared to death of snakes in real life! Oh, and
thanks for putting me on your favorites list! The fuzziness is overwhelming me!
Death's Shadow: hehe, I think we'll get a slight view of how dark Harry is or isn't in chapter 6! I'm
so mean to make you wait, aren't I? Bwahahahaha!
And thanks to jessie81589 and SlytherinSupreme for urging me onward; you guys make it happen!
(November 19, 2003)
Sorry for not updating as quick as I usually do, but my mom went in for surgery on Thursday
and I've been extremely busy with homework. Now it's the weekend, and I'll be able to
write a lot, so hopefully I can write enough to stockpile extras for the school week.
Disclaimer: I'm getting good at remebering these! Harry doesn't belong to me, blah, blah, blah. I only own Amelia and Ebony-Crested Dragon snakes. Oh, and I do use some of the same techniques Rowling uses with some fun lines I always enjoyed, so please don't sue me! I need all the money I can get for my student ambassador trip!
Chapter 5: Staring Teachers and Grinning Dogs
--------------------------------------------------
"Hey, you see that Harry Potter?"
"Yeah, the one that was supposedly dead?"
"Do you believe the rumours about You-Know-Who?"
"He's a dark wizard, he is."
Harry was at breakfast, and already he was being hounded by people coming over to ask him questions, and while he did enjoy the looks on their faces, it was starting to grate on his nerves. Amelia peeked out from under Harry's sleeve, and he gave her a small bit of sausage. He turned to Draco and Blaise sitting across from him as they sat at the end of the table furthest from the staff.
"Hey, Draco," he said, pointing up towards the staff table, "Do you know who that sickly guy is? He keeps looking at me."
Draco paused from his porridge, looked up at the guy in question, and shrugged as the man looked away. "No idea. Harry, lots of people are looking at you; I mean, you have announced to a prominently Light supporting school you were brought up by Voldemort. He may have heard about it."
Blaise looked interestedly at both of them as they talked, and her eyes rested on Harry when they stopped.
"What's he like, Harry?"
Harry just smiled. "He's a very nice person to me, Draco, and a few other Deatheaters. Of course, he keeps up his badass image in front of the main group, but inside, he is a completely different person than what these people say."
"Well," said Draco, starting on his porridge again, "You can't change what they've been brought up to believe."
Breakfast had ended, and everyone went off to their lessons, Harry and Draco looking over their identical schedules with Blaise.
"Let's see. First off is Defence Against the Dark Arts," said Draco as they now took the staircases up a floor.
Harry looked puzzled. "Defence? Why do you need defence against them?"
"They'll need to know it if they want to protect themselves from Voldemort and his Dark Heir!" said Draco dramatically, albeit loudly, causing everyone to stop and look at the little first years.
Harry got Draco and new friend Blaise to start walking again. "Really, Draco, we need to stop doing that so often."
"But it's so much fun!" he laughed as they stepped into the Defence Against the Dark Arts room.
"Yes, I agree it's fun," Harry sighed, sitting down right in the front with Blaise and Draco on either side, "But it will make us late for class!"
As the other first years found their way here, Harry looked around the room. There were many Dark things in here, he could feel them, just as Tom had taught him to do.
"Just because they're Dark like us, it doesn't mean they won't attack you."
Perhaps this class wouldn't be so bad.
He looked up at the teacher, who was again staring at him again.
Maybe not.
"Draco, he's looking at me again."
Draco laughed and pointed, "I think his dog likes you, as well!"
Harry looked down at his lap, where a large black dog with bright, blue eyes rested its massive head on his knee, staring intently into his eyes. This dog was giving him the creeps, he thought, standing up. He placed his hand on the dog's shoulder and guided it past the teacher to a large basket that had to be its bed. He spotted something in the large basket, something that looked oddly familiar...
He didn't even notice the dog growling at him as he picked up a small, slightly burned blanket with dogs just like this one stiched on the fabric. Images flashed through his head....
A man with shoulder-length black hair was playing peek a boo with him on the floor...
A slightly sad looking man was smiling at him while reading a bed time story...
Both men giving him a blanket just like this one...
Harry felt the blanket fall out of his loose grip as someone pulled him back. It was the professor, and the man now stood between Harry and the dog.
"Sorry, Professor," Harry said dazedly, quickly shaking the images from his head, "That blanket just looked so familiar. I could have sworn..."
The man just smiled at him as the dog put the blanket back in the basket and glared at Harry. 'It that even possble for a dog to do?'
"It's quite all right. My dog Snuffles is just protective of that blanket. Go sit down; class is about to start."
Draco snickered at Harry as the ebony-haired boy sat down, looking embarassed.
The teacher now came to the front of the room. The man, though still good-looking, had a worn appearance about him. His face was rather gaunt, and his light brown hair was slightly streaked with grey. His eyes were smiling, though, as he addressed the class.
"Well, welcome to Defence Against the Dark Arts, Slytherin first years!"
Harry swore he heard the dog snort at this comment.
"My name is Professor Lupin. This year, we will be covering some mild curses and hexes. If you all could get out your books while I take attendance, please."
There was a small amount of shuffling and whispers as they pulled out their defence books, and sat quietly after as Lupin read off the students' names, finally getting to Blaise. Harry groaned as he realized his name would be missing from attendance rolls in every single class.
Professor Lupin looked up, smiling, and and, "Is there anyone I've missed?"
Harry sighed and raised his hand, "You've forgotten me, sir."
Lupin looked at him and perching his quill over the roll to write down Harry's name, he asked kindly, "And your name?"
"Harry Potter, sir."
All that was heard was the sound off a quill hitting the floor as the Professor looked him up and down, face wrought in confusion and... was that amazement? Harry didn't know, but the sound of his name even seemed to grab the dog's attention, who was now staring at Harry and... was that dog grinning?!
"Well, class, um, ah, yes!" said Lupin, regaining his composure. "Let's get started then. Open your books to page 10 while we discuss the general criteria of what makes any spell Dark."
-------------------------------------
"Well, Transfiguration couldn't have been more awful," said Blaise as the three walked out under the eye of McGonagall towards dinner.
"That's only because you couldn't change your match into a needle!" smirked Draco as they leisurely walked down the main staircase.
"If I recall, Draco, you seem to have had difficulties as well," said Harry, getting a grateful grin from Blaise and a mock-sneer from Draco.
"Just because you had to be all perfect. Who has ever seen a first year Transfigure the match to a needle by the second try? I ask you!" grumbled Draco, sitting down and giving himself a piece of chicken while Harry ate some fried potatoes.
"You know Tom taught me magic as best he could without giving me a wand, and I read all those books."
"Do you like to read, Harry?" asked Blaise, her silver and black hair catching the light.
"Well, yeah, I love to. You see, Tom never really let me out of the chateau much, so when Draco wasn't there and Tom went for business trips, my only company was the house elves and the books."
Blaise gave him what looked like a sympathetic look before returning to her dinner, which made him slightly uneasy; he hated sympathy. And over her shoulder he saw the red-headed Ron stalking towards him, a mixture of fear and anger in his face, and Draco watched as Harry closed his eyes in silent rage. All day people had been asking him questions, even to the point where Harry missed lunch because no one would give the boy a moment's peace.
'This isn't going to turn out well,' thought Draco, watching Ron tap Harry on the shoulder.
"Are you really-"
Harry's last nerve of patience snapped. The fuming boy stood up and faced the Hall full of people now watching him.
"I will answer all of your questions now!" Harry shouted to the quiet students and staff. He noticed Lupin and his dog were watching him with special interest. "Yes, I am Harry Potter! Yes, the Harry Potter that supposedly died in the Godric's Hollow Tragedy! Yes, I've seen Voldemort! Yes, I was raised by him! And no, I can't explain what he's like because none of you would believe me! Ask Ron if you want to know what he looks like!"
Ron got fearful at this and shouted, "How would I know what he looks like?!"
Harry ground his teeth and yelled, "Because you saw him quite plainly when he dropped me off with you and your family!"
Harry snorted in dissatisfaction, sitting back down to his dinner, and watched as Ron was surrounded by students while walking back to the Gryffindor table. And all Gods, would Lupin and that dog stop staring at him?!
---------------------------------
Later that night would find Remus, Sirius, and Severus all sitting down in an empty classroom with Silencing Charms set up so no one could eavesdrop. Severus watched his two old classmates' faces, both pale and mouths hanging slightly open. He could just see a tiny blanket in the mutt's hands.
"Well..." started Severus, hoping to stir them to action. He had to go grade papers.
"Why didn't anyone tell us before classes started?" asked Remus. Sirius seemed to be off somewhere else entirely.
"If I remember correctly, the headmaster wanted to give you a surprise," Severus sneered, folding his arms.
"And Voldemort raised him? Voldemort's still alive?"
"Yes, Voldemort raised him. He finished off Potter and Lily, but he failed to kill the boy with Avada Kedavra. He barely dodged it, and the boy was left with with that scar on his forehead. After that, he simply placed Erebus under a Glamour Charm-" He instantly realized it a moment too late he had said too much, and Sirius launched towards him, knocking him against the stone wall heavily.
"You knew!!" growled Sirius.
"Sirius!" said Remus, but Sirius just turned to look at his friend.
"He knew! He knew this entire time! He knew Harry was alive and never told anyone!" He grabbed the greasy haired man by the throat threateningly, saying, "Why shouldn't I just kill you now?"
Severus sneered, "Because I didn't know it was Harry, Black!"
"How could you not know?" asked Remus, looking genuinely interested. "He looks exactly like James and has Lily's eyes. How could you not know?"
"If you were listening," scoffed Severus, "I've already said the boy had been placed under a Glamour charm, and he had a false name. I knew him as Erebus, the son of the Dark Lord. And if you want to know-" he he paused to grin horribly at Sirius "- he absolutely loves me. He adores his Uncle Sev."
When he woke up, Severus realized they had left him alone and on the floor on the old room. He laughed and rubbed his sore cheek, "Of course, I knew that punch was coming. Black always has such a bad temper."
And the Potions professor left the room, heading towards the Hospital Wing to get the bruise fixed.
-------------------------------------------
A/N: It seemed like a good place to stop. I love Severus, but I like the Marauders more; besides, Sev was just asking for that punch, wasn't he? How will Remus and Sirius handle all this new information? Will Harry still be bugged, or did his outburst at Ron help alleviate the problem? Find out next time!
Read and review!
Review responses:
ReflectionsOfReality: Thank you for that review! I must have had a huge grin on my face for half an
hour! By the way, I absolutely love your story! I had to get off before I could
review, but I am going to avidly follow your story. Thanks so much! *teary
eyes*
RougeEnchantress: You got up to read my story extra early?! Are you in high school?! Wow. I
am honoured. Thank you very much!
HermioneGreen: You'd think Dumbledore and McGonagall were smarter, wouldn't you? However,
I've grown to think of them as having a rather high opinion of their magical
knowledge, no matter what they say, and Dumbledore is simply a manipulator
with Minerva as his puppet. They didn't bother to search that hard because they
really didn't expect Harry to have survived. Again, underestimation. Thanks for
being so loyal!
Shorty: Okay, my friend, I now we're studying hookworms and such in Zoology, but did you really
have to mention those in the review? I'm going to get out one of Mr. Lee's snakes now, just
for you! *evil smile* And yes, you are a mortal, silly child. CONSTANT VIGILANCE!!!
The stupid Gryffindor: I've said it once, my friend, and I'll say it again: Stupid Gryffindor! hehehe
asdfds: Thanks for putting me on your favorites list! Now I feel warm and fuzzy. The fuzziness!
Falafal: You like Amelia? I'll be sure to tell her counterpart tomorrow in Zoology. She loves the
positive responses to her, even if she is scared to death of snakes in real life! Oh, and
thanks for putting me on your favorites list! The fuzziness is overwhelming me!
Death's Shadow: hehe, I think we'll get a slight view of how dark Harry is or isn't in chapter 6! I'm
so mean to make you wait, aren't I? Bwahahahaha!
And thanks to jessie81589 and SlytherinSupreme for urging me onward; you guys make it happen!
(November 19, 2003)