Chapter 8: The Escape
"So what form are you going to choose?" asked Hermione. "I don't know," said Harry, "I thought about a stag, but I don't know how good that would be in a tight spot, like Lupin was saying." "How about a lion?" asked Ron, "That'd be real useful in a tight spot!" Hermione frowned at Ron, "He'd also be gigantic! He wouldn't exactly blend in now would he?" Ron shrugged, "Just saying..." Hermione suddenly said, "Harry...you could...you could be a...a snake..." Harry stiffened, "No." "Well it's just...they're deadly, aren't they? And small...they can slip under doors and go all over the place real easily. And they're relatively common animals. You could blend in real well."
"Yeah, and while I'm at it, why don't I just go up to Voldemort and say 'Listen, I've thought this over and I've decided I should have been in Slytherin'?" "Oh fine," said Hermione, "be that way."
So Harry chose to be that way.
That Thursday Harry had an Occlumency lesson with Snape, which he did not look forward to even remotely, mostly because it would mean a return to Snape's office, which he had been hastily kicked out of after last year. When he arrived, he found Snape already waiting.
"Close the door," he ordered.
Harry closed the door.
"Sit."
Harry sat.
Snape cleared his throat, "So Potter, have you been practicing as I told you?" "Yes sir," said Harry quietly. "Look at me Potter," ordered Snape. He looked up, and suddenly Snape cried "Legilimens!"
Harry felt his knees buckle only slightly this time, and he whipped out his wand, "Immobulus!" he shouted. Snape froze, his wand in mid-wave. Harry felt his scar prickle, but only slightly; he stared at Snape for about a minute. He was still clearly conscious, just frozen in place, although his eyes were registering intense anger. Almost afraid to take the spell off, Harry said, "Finite," and Snape fell to the floor. "Are you all right sir?" asked Harry, although his concern was feigned. "Of course I'm fine!" he snapped, getting up and dusting himself off. "Sorry sir," he said. "No need to be sorry this time Potter. You almost did that decently," said Snape, "but I saw your knees buckle. I want you to be able to defend yourself without the slightest hint that anything is wrong. But I'll admit you put forth a noble effort, although a failed one. From now on, I will no longer let you know when I'm going to cast a Legilimency spell on you. I want to take you by surprise to see exactly how well and how fast you react. This will be a more exact experience for you anyway, as the Dark Lord will not count to three before he casts such spells on you."
Harry nodded and Snape continued, "So from now on Legilimens!" Harry's heart leapt into his throat and he shouted, "Wingardium Leviosa!" Snape went straight up into the air and floated merely inches from the ceiling, Harry barely stopping him in time, then lowered him back to the ground. "Respectable, Potter. Legilimens!"
And this continued on for some time.
The following morning Harry awoke feeling pretty good about himself; he had successfully defended himself against Snape eight times in a row, and each time he had used a different spell on Snape that had caused him to do one of many things, including erupt soap bubbles from his mouth (yet again), and tap dance uncontrollably. He was almost looking forward to Double Potions this morning as he was now becoming less and less afraid of the menace known as Severus Snape.
"You did, really?" said Hermione incredulously. "If I were Snape," said Ron, "I'd be feeling pretty angry about all that. I mean, soap bubbles in the mouth twice!" "Yeah," said Harry, spreading marmalade on his toast, "but I have a feeling this isn't as hard as it gets." "Probably right," said Hermione, not making him feel a bit better.
They walked down to Care of Magical Creatures that morning feeling relatively good, until an owl dropped a Daily Prophet right on Hermione's head halfway down to Hagrid's hut. "Finally!" she said, putting a Knut in the pouch around the owl's leg, "I was wondering!" She opened the Prophet quickly and let out a horrified gasp, "Oh no!" she said, reading the headline.
DEATH EATERS ESCAPE AZKABAN
Harry and Ron let out groans when they saw it, "That'll be Malfoy I expect," said Ron, and sure enough, there was his picture, right next to Macnair and Dolohov. Harry shook his head, and the three of them spoke in harsh whispers all the way to Hagrid's hut. "I knew this was going to happen," said Harry, "I mean, with Malfoy smirking about as if he knows something. And what with his comment on the train and Fudge's lack of action to get the dementors back to Azkaban, it's no bloody wonder the entire prison hasn't escaped!" Just then, Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle came round into view, Malfoy with a pugnacious grin on his face. "All right there Scarhead?" he asked happily. Harry glared at him, "I'm fine, how are you, Death Eater?" Malfoy's smile faded, "Think I'm a Death Eater, do you? Well if I were, believe me, you'd already be dead." "Oh that's okay Malfoy," said Ron, "after all, it's your father's job to kill people ruthlessly right? Because he's a Death Eater?" "Shut up Weasley you worthless rubbish," hissed Malfoy, "you're so poor I'm surprised you could even buy a Prophet to read the headline!"
Suddenly Hagrid appeared, and all of them fell silent as he began his lesson. "Welcome back, welcome back," said Hagrid, "glad ter see so many of yeh takin' N.E.W.T. Care of Magical Creatures. Should be intrestin', what with some o' the creatures I've got ter show yeh!" He reached a hand into one giant pocket and removed a five-legged furry creature, staring at them angrily, and it tried to rip at Hagrid's hand. "Behold!" he said, "A Hairy MacBoon!" "A what?" said Draco, voicing just about everyone's opinion. "A Hairy MacBoon!" said Hagrid, "They come from Scotland! Bewitched creatures from the family of MacBoon!" He seemed to expect someone to know what a Hairy MacBoon was, but no one did. "Well..." he said slowly, "...I s'pose I better get ter explainin' then!"
Care of Magical Creatures was, all together, a good lesson with the exception of Malfoy trying to toss the Hairy MacBoon in the air. It promptly bit him. Naturally, he was sent howling to Madam Pomfrey, and was not to be seen when Double Potions came round. "Serves him right, the stupid blighter," said Ron. The class waited for Snape to show up, and finally the hour ticked off. The door opened and Snape strode through it and waved his wand at the board; instantly, a Potions recipe appeared for a Wit-Sharpening Draught. "You may begin now," said Snape, "Potter, my office." Everyone sat back with shock and looked at Harry as if to say, 'Nice knowing you.'
Harry got up quickly, not wanting to waste too much time for his Draught, and followed Snape into his office. "Close the door behind you Potter," he growled at him as he sat down at his desk. Harry turned to close it; it had barely clicked shut when he heard "Legilimens!"
Harry saw a flash of green light, and heard a high laugh, then said "Expelliarmus!" Snape's wand went flying, and Harry was left panting, wand hanging to his side. "Damn," he muttered slightly, watching as Snape said "Accio wand!" It flew back to his hand; "Pitiful, Potter. Better next time or else. And ten points from Gryffindor for foul language," he added silkily. Harry was almost burning with rage; Snape had finally gotten him good on the Legilimency spell, as much as he hated to admit it. "Yes sir," he said, leaving the office and starting his Draught.
Snape followed a moment later, and swept past Neville, causing him to drop his jar of dried nettles. "What was that all about?" whispered Hermione. "Just Snape trying to catch me off guard again," he said, "cast the Legilimency spell almost the moment I walked in the door." Her eyes became slits of anger, "Stupid overgrown bat," she said, just under her breath.
"I beg your pardon, Miss Granger?" said a dangerous voice from behind them. Hermione slowly turned to see Snape towering over the two of them, a rather unpleasant expression on his face. Rather than saying, "Nothing Professor," instead Hermione said, "You heard me." The entire class froze. Snape's gaze remained immobile, and he said, "Fifty points from Gryffindor and a detention should help you to understand the idea of paying respect to your teachers. Tomorrow night at eight, Miss Granger. And don't be late, Head Girl," he said, the last two words of that sentence rubbing her irritably.
He swept off to look at Pansy Parkinson's Draught, although she was sneering at Hermione happily. "Hermione...why?" said Ron with a bewildered expression. She said nothing, merely continued on with her potion, albeit with short, angry movements. Harry was also wondering the same thing as Ron; why didn't she just give in?
The following evening in the common room Harry and Ron were busy on their Potions essay "Why it is improper to drink a whole cauldronful of Wit- Sharpening Potion in an attempt to further one's knowledge, and its side effects, 12 inches" due the following week. Hermione, however, was leaving it until the last moment; she said she wouldn't give Snape the satisfaction of her toiling over it the entire week. Instead she was doing her Arithmancy homework, with occasional glances at the clock; slowly, it was creeping toward eight. Ron finally put down his quill and said, "Hermione, what's gotten into you? You didn't seem to mind Snape these past five years but now suddenly you're getting all emotional about it! I mean, we all hate just as much as you do, but come on! Why can't you just let it go and have done with it?"
Hermione refused to look at either of them, "That's my business. Now please let me finish my homework in peace!" Ron rolled his eyes, "Ugh! Fine!" and he went back to his essay, although his eyes had not moved from the same spot for the past five minutes. Finally, it was about ten till eight when Hermione silently packed up her bag, albeit with anger, and headed off to the dungeons without so much as a goodbye. "I just don't get her," said Ron, leaning back, "I mean, we're her closest friends! She's always told us when something's wrong! And now she's getting all defensive!"
"I know what's wrong," said Ginny, who suddenly appeared and sat down in Hermione's empty chair. "What? What is it?" said Ron eagerly. "I'm not allowed to say," said Ginny simply, pulling out her Divination book. "Aarrgh! Ginny!" said Ron angrily, "How could you taunt us like that?" "Well I can't tell you specifics, but I just wanted to tell you to lay off it. Her feelings got rather hurt and now she's out for blood from him. I'd just let it go until she's ready. She thinks it's rather embarrassing, so that's why she's not telling you. But she'll say when the time is right though. Just not now."
Harry and Ron exchanged glances; "So what you're telling us Ginny," said Harry slowly, "is that Snape hurt her feelings so now she hates him?" "That's right," said Ginny easily. "Well that sounds like just about everybody in school," said Harry, "I mean, everybody gets hurt by Snape because he's so heartless." "Not like this you don't," said Ginny, "it was pretty mean." "So uh, what was it?" said Ron off-handedly, trying to give her the slip. "Nice try Ron," said Ginny sarcastically, "But I'm not falling for it." He sat back and folded his arms with disgust, "Me own sister...fine."
"So what form are you going to choose?" asked Hermione. "I don't know," said Harry, "I thought about a stag, but I don't know how good that would be in a tight spot, like Lupin was saying." "How about a lion?" asked Ron, "That'd be real useful in a tight spot!" Hermione frowned at Ron, "He'd also be gigantic! He wouldn't exactly blend in now would he?" Ron shrugged, "Just saying..." Hermione suddenly said, "Harry...you could...you could be a...a snake..." Harry stiffened, "No." "Well it's just...they're deadly, aren't they? And small...they can slip under doors and go all over the place real easily. And they're relatively common animals. You could blend in real well."
"Yeah, and while I'm at it, why don't I just go up to Voldemort and say 'Listen, I've thought this over and I've decided I should have been in Slytherin'?" "Oh fine," said Hermione, "be that way."
So Harry chose to be that way.
That Thursday Harry had an Occlumency lesson with Snape, which he did not look forward to even remotely, mostly because it would mean a return to Snape's office, which he had been hastily kicked out of after last year. When he arrived, he found Snape already waiting.
"Close the door," he ordered.
Harry closed the door.
"Sit."
Harry sat.
Snape cleared his throat, "So Potter, have you been practicing as I told you?" "Yes sir," said Harry quietly. "Look at me Potter," ordered Snape. He looked up, and suddenly Snape cried "Legilimens!"
Harry felt his knees buckle only slightly this time, and he whipped out his wand, "Immobulus!" he shouted. Snape froze, his wand in mid-wave. Harry felt his scar prickle, but only slightly; he stared at Snape for about a minute. He was still clearly conscious, just frozen in place, although his eyes were registering intense anger. Almost afraid to take the spell off, Harry said, "Finite," and Snape fell to the floor. "Are you all right sir?" asked Harry, although his concern was feigned. "Of course I'm fine!" he snapped, getting up and dusting himself off. "Sorry sir," he said. "No need to be sorry this time Potter. You almost did that decently," said Snape, "but I saw your knees buckle. I want you to be able to defend yourself without the slightest hint that anything is wrong. But I'll admit you put forth a noble effort, although a failed one. From now on, I will no longer let you know when I'm going to cast a Legilimency spell on you. I want to take you by surprise to see exactly how well and how fast you react. This will be a more exact experience for you anyway, as the Dark Lord will not count to three before he casts such spells on you."
Harry nodded and Snape continued, "So from now on Legilimens!" Harry's heart leapt into his throat and he shouted, "Wingardium Leviosa!" Snape went straight up into the air and floated merely inches from the ceiling, Harry barely stopping him in time, then lowered him back to the ground. "Respectable, Potter. Legilimens!"
And this continued on for some time.
The following morning Harry awoke feeling pretty good about himself; he had successfully defended himself against Snape eight times in a row, and each time he had used a different spell on Snape that had caused him to do one of many things, including erupt soap bubbles from his mouth (yet again), and tap dance uncontrollably. He was almost looking forward to Double Potions this morning as he was now becoming less and less afraid of the menace known as Severus Snape.
"You did, really?" said Hermione incredulously. "If I were Snape," said Ron, "I'd be feeling pretty angry about all that. I mean, soap bubbles in the mouth twice!" "Yeah," said Harry, spreading marmalade on his toast, "but I have a feeling this isn't as hard as it gets." "Probably right," said Hermione, not making him feel a bit better.
They walked down to Care of Magical Creatures that morning feeling relatively good, until an owl dropped a Daily Prophet right on Hermione's head halfway down to Hagrid's hut. "Finally!" she said, putting a Knut in the pouch around the owl's leg, "I was wondering!" She opened the Prophet quickly and let out a horrified gasp, "Oh no!" she said, reading the headline.
DEATH EATERS ESCAPE AZKABAN
Harry and Ron let out groans when they saw it, "That'll be Malfoy I expect," said Ron, and sure enough, there was his picture, right next to Macnair and Dolohov. Harry shook his head, and the three of them spoke in harsh whispers all the way to Hagrid's hut. "I knew this was going to happen," said Harry, "I mean, with Malfoy smirking about as if he knows something. And what with his comment on the train and Fudge's lack of action to get the dementors back to Azkaban, it's no bloody wonder the entire prison hasn't escaped!" Just then, Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle came round into view, Malfoy with a pugnacious grin on his face. "All right there Scarhead?" he asked happily. Harry glared at him, "I'm fine, how are you, Death Eater?" Malfoy's smile faded, "Think I'm a Death Eater, do you? Well if I were, believe me, you'd already be dead." "Oh that's okay Malfoy," said Ron, "after all, it's your father's job to kill people ruthlessly right? Because he's a Death Eater?" "Shut up Weasley you worthless rubbish," hissed Malfoy, "you're so poor I'm surprised you could even buy a Prophet to read the headline!"
Suddenly Hagrid appeared, and all of them fell silent as he began his lesson. "Welcome back, welcome back," said Hagrid, "glad ter see so many of yeh takin' N.E.W.T. Care of Magical Creatures. Should be intrestin', what with some o' the creatures I've got ter show yeh!" He reached a hand into one giant pocket and removed a five-legged furry creature, staring at them angrily, and it tried to rip at Hagrid's hand. "Behold!" he said, "A Hairy MacBoon!" "A what?" said Draco, voicing just about everyone's opinion. "A Hairy MacBoon!" said Hagrid, "They come from Scotland! Bewitched creatures from the family of MacBoon!" He seemed to expect someone to know what a Hairy MacBoon was, but no one did. "Well..." he said slowly, "...I s'pose I better get ter explainin' then!"
Care of Magical Creatures was, all together, a good lesson with the exception of Malfoy trying to toss the Hairy MacBoon in the air. It promptly bit him. Naturally, he was sent howling to Madam Pomfrey, and was not to be seen when Double Potions came round. "Serves him right, the stupid blighter," said Ron. The class waited for Snape to show up, and finally the hour ticked off. The door opened and Snape strode through it and waved his wand at the board; instantly, a Potions recipe appeared for a Wit-Sharpening Draught. "You may begin now," said Snape, "Potter, my office." Everyone sat back with shock and looked at Harry as if to say, 'Nice knowing you.'
Harry got up quickly, not wanting to waste too much time for his Draught, and followed Snape into his office. "Close the door behind you Potter," he growled at him as he sat down at his desk. Harry turned to close it; it had barely clicked shut when he heard "Legilimens!"
Harry saw a flash of green light, and heard a high laugh, then said "Expelliarmus!" Snape's wand went flying, and Harry was left panting, wand hanging to his side. "Damn," he muttered slightly, watching as Snape said "Accio wand!" It flew back to his hand; "Pitiful, Potter. Better next time or else. And ten points from Gryffindor for foul language," he added silkily. Harry was almost burning with rage; Snape had finally gotten him good on the Legilimency spell, as much as he hated to admit it. "Yes sir," he said, leaving the office and starting his Draught.
Snape followed a moment later, and swept past Neville, causing him to drop his jar of dried nettles. "What was that all about?" whispered Hermione. "Just Snape trying to catch me off guard again," he said, "cast the Legilimency spell almost the moment I walked in the door." Her eyes became slits of anger, "Stupid overgrown bat," she said, just under her breath.
"I beg your pardon, Miss Granger?" said a dangerous voice from behind them. Hermione slowly turned to see Snape towering over the two of them, a rather unpleasant expression on his face. Rather than saying, "Nothing Professor," instead Hermione said, "You heard me." The entire class froze. Snape's gaze remained immobile, and he said, "Fifty points from Gryffindor and a detention should help you to understand the idea of paying respect to your teachers. Tomorrow night at eight, Miss Granger. And don't be late, Head Girl," he said, the last two words of that sentence rubbing her irritably.
He swept off to look at Pansy Parkinson's Draught, although she was sneering at Hermione happily. "Hermione...why?" said Ron with a bewildered expression. She said nothing, merely continued on with her potion, albeit with short, angry movements. Harry was also wondering the same thing as Ron; why didn't she just give in?
The following evening in the common room Harry and Ron were busy on their Potions essay "Why it is improper to drink a whole cauldronful of Wit- Sharpening Potion in an attempt to further one's knowledge, and its side effects, 12 inches" due the following week. Hermione, however, was leaving it until the last moment; she said she wouldn't give Snape the satisfaction of her toiling over it the entire week. Instead she was doing her Arithmancy homework, with occasional glances at the clock; slowly, it was creeping toward eight. Ron finally put down his quill and said, "Hermione, what's gotten into you? You didn't seem to mind Snape these past five years but now suddenly you're getting all emotional about it! I mean, we all hate just as much as you do, but come on! Why can't you just let it go and have done with it?"
Hermione refused to look at either of them, "That's my business. Now please let me finish my homework in peace!" Ron rolled his eyes, "Ugh! Fine!" and he went back to his essay, although his eyes had not moved from the same spot for the past five minutes. Finally, it was about ten till eight when Hermione silently packed up her bag, albeit with anger, and headed off to the dungeons without so much as a goodbye. "I just don't get her," said Ron, leaning back, "I mean, we're her closest friends! She's always told us when something's wrong! And now she's getting all defensive!"
"I know what's wrong," said Ginny, who suddenly appeared and sat down in Hermione's empty chair. "What? What is it?" said Ron eagerly. "I'm not allowed to say," said Ginny simply, pulling out her Divination book. "Aarrgh! Ginny!" said Ron angrily, "How could you taunt us like that?" "Well I can't tell you specifics, but I just wanted to tell you to lay off it. Her feelings got rather hurt and now she's out for blood from him. I'd just let it go until she's ready. She thinks it's rather embarrassing, so that's why she's not telling you. But she'll say when the time is right though. Just not now."
Harry and Ron exchanged glances; "So what you're telling us Ginny," said Harry slowly, "is that Snape hurt her feelings so now she hates him?" "That's right," said Ginny easily. "Well that sounds like just about everybody in school," said Harry, "I mean, everybody gets hurt by Snape because he's so heartless." "Not like this you don't," said Ginny, "it was pretty mean." "So uh, what was it?" said Ron off-handedly, trying to give her the slip. "Nice try Ron," said Ginny sarcastically, "But I'm not falling for it." He sat back and folded his arms with disgust, "Me own sister...fine."