CHAPTER TWO
Tempers fly, and so do people
It had been a few months since Snape had greeted Hermione so strangely, but the small group of friends had thought nothing of it. It was their last class of the day and they headed down to the dungeons for what would be one of the longest Double-Potions classes they would experience in all of their years at Hogwarts. Well...at least for Hermione and Neville.
The Potions classroom was filling rapidly when the three friends entered and took their accustomed seats in the back row. The second bell rang just as Professor Snape entered the room and closed the door behind him. He hesitated as his mouth twitched slightly before heading to his desk at the front of the classroom and addressing the students.
"Today you will be brewing one of the most complex potions in existence, the Draught of Living Death." Some of the students gasped, but then remained silent after a look from their Potions Master. He continued, "I expect no less than the absolute best from every one of you. You are in Advanced Potions for a reason; don't make me regret it.
The instructions are on the board," he gave a wave of his wand and the instructions magically appeared. "The ingredients are in the store cupboard," he gave another flick of his wrist, pointing it at the locked door and it popped open for complete access.
"You have precisely two hours to brew your potions. Pair up and begin!"
The class began its usual shuffle as students got up and moved to sit beside their partners. As usual, Harry and Ron were partners, as were Hermione and Neville. They all began their work taking extreme cautions not to mess up the complex potion.
It was about an hour into the class as Hermione turned and began to crush the scarab beetles with her mortar and pestle while Neville added what he thought was the next ingredient when she was violently thrown about seven feet away from her cauldron. Less than a second later Neville "accompanied" her as he was unceremoniously hurtled away, as well. Instantly, Harry and Ron were at her side asking if she was all right while glaring at Snape.
Suddenly, there was a loud explosion from the cauldron Hermione and Neville had previously been working over. Hermione gasped, her hands flying to her mouth as Neville let out a rather high-pitched squeak and paled as white as chalk. Snape turned abruptly to the four friends; fierce anger clearly written all over is sallow face.
Harry and Ron began to yell at Snape simultaneously. "You stupid bastard. How dare you. You could have killed her!" "You asshole! If you ever touch her again I'll kill you myself, you fucking jackass!"
Hermione's face had gone as pale as Neville's and she was slightly shaking. The room was silent but for the strained breathing of the professor and the four students. Not even the Slytherins dared to make a sound.
Snape's eyes shifted between Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Neville as he began to berate them. "Fifty points will be taken from Gryffindor for Longbottom's blatant lack of intelligence and another fifty points for Miss. Granger's inability to pay attention! You will each write a meter long essay on this potion that will be due next class. Clean up this mess immediately and began brewing the potion again. You have an hour left of this class and you will not leave this room until it is properly completed."
He turned on Harry and Ron, whose faces were now red with fury. Ron was mouthing indignantly to Snape as Harry was trying to keep from launching himself onto his professor. "As for you two," he sneered, "I believe a week's worth of detentions with Mr. Filch and another fifty points from Gryffindor will help to remind you to hold your tongues in my class. Now get back to work! If I hear even one more word out of either of you I will personally ensure your expulsions!" Harry and Ron both scrambled to their feet while helping Hermione and Neville to theirs, as well.
Turning on his heel he strode to his desk, his cloak billowing behind him.
Once they reached the landing of the Entrance Hall Hermione and Neville separated while he went left up the many staircases to Gryffindor Tower and she went right down the steps, passed the front doors, and out across the grounds. She stood in front of Hagrid's hut for a moment trying to compose herself before she knocked and waited for an answer. Hagrid opened the door with a cheery expression on his face before it suddenly fell and he gestured her in immediately.
"'Mione what's happened, Harry, Ron...?"
"No, no one's hurt or anything. I just thought I'd come down to discuss that extra credit assignment for next term. I believe you said you wanted a detailed essay on the prop--."
"Hermione!"
She caught her breath and looked away from him.
"I'm so sorry Hagrid," she began as she told him everything that had occurred that afternoon. When she had finished tears were streaming down her face and Hagrid was trying to comfort her.
"Don' you listen teh him, Hermione. Yeh'r twice a' smart as him and he knows it! He's jus' jealous, tha's all. I'll have a talk with 'im if he bothers yeh 'gain, jus' le' me know. I'll fix him...."
"Oh please don't, Hagrid. The thing is...he's right. He is. I should have been paying attention, I should have...."
His expression changed as she fell silent and he placed one big hand on her head brushing her unruly hair out of her face.
"No, Hermione, it can've b'en all yer fault. Yeh'r no' stupid. Yeh'r Headgirl, aft'rall. Dumbledore wouldn've given yeh the badge if 'e didn' believe in yeh,' Hagrid said fiercely.
Harry and Ron grumbled through their first night of detentions with Filch and Mrs. Norris monitoring their non-magic portrait restoration skills. Not to mention the annoying cries and insults of the occupants of the portraits being jostled around for two hours. By the time they were finished for the night, both students' hands were blistered and bleeding from little cuts and nicks, and also stung from the cleaning solutions they had used. Harry grabbed Ron's hand to examine them better.
"Wow, these look horrible," he said, carefully running his forefinger over one particularly painful-looking one.
Ron pulled away quickly, pretending to examine his hands closely. He swallowed visibly and cleared his throat as he replied, his voice slightly an octave higher, "Yeah, we should get these checked out by Madame Pomfrey or we won't be able to move...our fingers--in the morning...."
They made their way to the hospital wing in search of a little relief from the remarkable medi-witch, who duly interrogated them on their injuries and then promptly berated them for not using their dragon-hide gloves. Though as they were leaving, Harry could have sworn he had heard her mutter something under her breath regarding Snape, but he just shook his head and continued on to Gryffindor Tower.
Neville and Ginny went for a walk around the Quidditch pitch. Her expression had taken on a slightly sadistic quality that all-too resembled her mother's thin-lipped, narrow-eyed stature the Weasley twins had come to know more often than any of their other siblings; combined. Neville listened to Ginny's angry rant in silence until at one point, she picked up a stick and violently broke it in half and threw it across the pitch as hard as she could, causing Neville to nearly jump out of his own skin. A fearful expression crossed his face as he stared at Ginny. It took her a moment to recognize Neville at first, but once she did, she blinked, her face softened as she smiled shyly up at him before she took his hand and squeezed it gently. He relaxed a bit from her outcry, but suddenly realized they were holding hands and smiled rather nervously back down at her as they turned around and started back towards the castle.
A/N- It's been brought to my attention by the author I usually beta for, that Snape's cloak always seems to billow behind him without the luxury of a breeze. It's very "Angel" of him. Therefore, I felt I should mention it, throwing a bit of humor into the mix, as I know she would enjoy that little piece. Thank you.
Anonymous: Thanks!
Laurieisme: Thanks a bunch, Laurie. I promise I will.
Tempers fly, and so do people
It had been a few months since Snape had greeted Hermione so strangely, but the small group of friends had thought nothing of it. It was their last class of the day and they headed down to the dungeons for what would be one of the longest Double-Potions classes they would experience in all of their years at Hogwarts. Well...at least for Hermione and Neville.
The Potions classroom was filling rapidly when the three friends entered and took their accustomed seats in the back row. The second bell rang just as Professor Snape entered the room and closed the door behind him. He hesitated as his mouth twitched slightly before heading to his desk at the front of the classroom and addressing the students.
"Today you will be brewing one of the most complex potions in existence, the Draught of Living Death." Some of the students gasped, but then remained silent after a look from their Potions Master. He continued, "I expect no less than the absolute best from every one of you. You are in Advanced Potions for a reason; don't make me regret it.
The instructions are on the board," he gave a wave of his wand and the instructions magically appeared. "The ingredients are in the store cupboard," he gave another flick of his wrist, pointing it at the locked door and it popped open for complete access.
"You have precisely two hours to brew your potions. Pair up and begin!"
The class began its usual shuffle as students got up and moved to sit beside their partners. As usual, Harry and Ron were partners, as were Hermione and Neville. They all began their work taking extreme cautions not to mess up the complex potion.
It was about an hour into the class as Hermione turned and began to crush the scarab beetles with her mortar and pestle while Neville added what he thought was the next ingredient when she was violently thrown about seven feet away from her cauldron. Less than a second later Neville "accompanied" her as he was unceremoniously hurtled away, as well. Instantly, Harry and Ron were at her side asking if she was all right while glaring at Snape.
Suddenly, there was a loud explosion from the cauldron Hermione and Neville had previously been working over. Hermione gasped, her hands flying to her mouth as Neville let out a rather high-pitched squeak and paled as white as chalk. Snape turned abruptly to the four friends; fierce anger clearly written all over is sallow face.
Harry and Ron began to yell at Snape simultaneously. "You stupid bastard. How dare you. You could have killed her!" "You asshole! If you ever touch her again I'll kill you myself, you fucking jackass!"
Hermione's face had gone as pale as Neville's and she was slightly shaking. The room was silent but for the strained breathing of the professor and the four students. Not even the Slytherins dared to make a sound.
Snape's eyes shifted between Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Neville as he began to berate them. "Fifty points will be taken from Gryffindor for Longbottom's blatant lack of intelligence and another fifty points for Miss. Granger's inability to pay attention! You will each write a meter long essay on this potion that will be due next class. Clean up this mess immediately and began brewing the potion again. You have an hour left of this class and you will not leave this room until it is properly completed."
He turned on Harry and Ron, whose faces were now red with fury. Ron was mouthing indignantly to Snape as Harry was trying to keep from launching himself onto his professor. "As for you two," he sneered, "I believe a week's worth of detentions with Mr. Filch and another fifty points from Gryffindor will help to remind you to hold your tongues in my class. Now get back to work! If I hear even one more word out of either of you I will personally ensure your expulsions!" Harry and Ron both scrambled to their feet while helping Hermione and Neville to theirs, as well.
Turning on his heel he strode to his desk, his cloak billowing behind him.
Once they reached the landing of the Entrance Hall Hermione and Neville separated while he went left up the many staircases to Gryffindor Tower and she went right down the steps, passed the front doors, and out across the grounds. She stood in front of Hagrid's hut for a moment trying to compose herself before she knocked and waited for an answer. Hagrid opened the door with a cheery expression on his face before it suddenly fell and he gestured her in immediately.
"'Mione what's happened, Harry, Ron...?"
"No, no one's hurt or anything. I just thought I'd come down to discuss that extra credit assignment for next term. I believe you said you wanted a detailed essay on the prop--."
"Hermione!"
She caught her breath and looked away from him.
"I'm so sorry Hagrid," she began as she told him everything that had occurred that afternoon. When she had finished tears were streaming down her face and Hagrid was trying to comfort her.
"Don' you listen teh him, Hermione. Yeh'r twice a' smart as him and he knows it! He's jus' jealous, tha's all. I'll have a talk with 'im if he bothers yeh 'gain, jus' le' me know. I'll fix him...."
"Oh please don't, Hagrid. The thing is...he's right. He is. I should have been paying attention, I should have...."
His expression changed as she fell silent and he placed one big hand on her head brushing her unruly hair out of her face.
"No, Hermione, it can've b'en all yer fault. Yeh'r no' stupid. Yeh'r Headgirl, aft'rall. Dumbledore wouldn've given yeh the badge if 'e didn' believe in yeh,' Hagrid said fiercely.
Harry and Ron grumbled through their first night of detentions with Filch and Mrs. Norris monitoring their non-magic portrait restoration skills. Not to mention the annoying cries and insults of the occupants of the portraits being jostled around for two hours. By the time they were finished for the night, both students' hands were blistered and bleeding from little cuts and nicks, and also stung from the cleaning solutions they had used. Harry grabbed Ron's hand to examine them better.
"Wow, these look horrible," he said, carefully running his forefinger over one particularly painful-looking one.
Ron pulled away quickly, pretending to examine his hands closely. He swallowed visibly and cleared his throat as he replied, his voice slightly an octave higher, "Yeah, we should get these checked out by Madame Pomfrey or we won't be able to move...our fingers--in the morning...."
They made their way to the hospital wing in search of a little relief from the remarkable medi-witch, who duly interrogated them on their injuries and then promptly berated them for not using their dragon-hide gloves. Though as they were leaving, Harry could have sworn he had heard her mutter something under her breath regarding Snape, but he just shook his head and continued on to Gryffindor Tower.
Neville and Ginny went for a walk around the Quidditch pitch. Her expression had taken on a slightly sadistic quality that all-too resembled her mother's thin-lipped, narrow-eyed stature the Weasley twins had come to know more often than any of their other siblings; combined. Neville listened to Ginny's angry rant in silence until at one point, she picked up a stick and violently broke it in half and threw it across the pitch as hard as she could, causing Neville to nearly jump out of his own skin. A fearful expression crossed his face as he stared at Ginny. It took her a moment to recognize Neville at first, but once she did, she blinked, her face softened as she smiled shyly up at him before she took his hand and squeezed it gently. He relaxed a bit from her outcry, but suddenly realized they were holding hands and smiled rather nervously back down at her as they turned around and started back towards the castle.
A/N- It's been brought to my attention by the author I usually beta for, that Snape's cloak always seems to billow behind him without the luxury of a breeze. It's very "Angel" of him. Therefore, I felt I should mention it, throwing a bit of humor into the mix, as I know she would enjoy that little piece. Thank you.
Anonymous: Thanks!
Laurieisme: Thanks a bunch, Laurie. I promise I will.