ONCE IN A LIFETIME
CHAPTER 2
By Pure Black
BETA: DA Woods
NOTE: www.livejournal. com/users/draycious
McGonagall's pissed off expression turned into disbelief and Draco's mouth found its way down to somewhere in China. The three of them quickly broke apart and jumped away from each other. Severus found himself in a matter of seconds and adopted his practiced sneer. Remus tried to look completely normal as well and despise his slightly puffy eyes he did fine. Harry did not have to worry since McGonagall and Malfoy's attention were upon the teachers anyway.
"We were in the middle of a chant. What is it?" Snape snapped in a cold voice that suggested he was very irritated for being interrupted in the middle of something very important. Harry admired that Snape could pull his shit together and being able to think up something so quickly. Even if it was complete bullshit he still managed to make it sound believable. He himself tended to think muggle all the time, which in turn put him in disadvantage in situations like these. Harry was a little bit worried that McGonagall would ask them why they had a chant in the middle off the school day, as well as why they had it at all. They were known for not being overly friendly with one another. Instead it was quite the opposite. However, McGonagall went back to pissed and didn't question them.
"Malfoy attacked Mr. Weasley during my class. I gave him detention and took 100 points from Slytherin. You are the head of Slytherin! You should talk to this MR and tell him you are going to talk with his father if it ever happens again", she said and breathed through her nose in a disapproving manner.
Snape looked at Draco.
"What she said", he said and waved his hand dismissingly. It was completely unlike Snape. Then again, Harry thought. No one actually does know what he is like…
Draco disappeared with a sneer even though it was not half as good as Snape's. If he had been a dog he would probably have had his tail between his legs through. Harry smiled broadly. This day was suddenly turning out much better than he had fist expected.
"Now. I have to get back to my class", said Severus and gave Harry a quick smile when Minerva had her back turned on them. Severus hurried out the door before someone would mention something they were not supposed to.
"I have to go too", said Remus quickly. He made his excused to Minerva and was off.
"Bye, see you", said Harry called softly after him. He knew Remus had picked it up with his werewolf hearing.
"Well then", Minerva said. "Let's go back to classes. Come on Mr. Potter, Walk with me!" she said Harry nodded and walked back with Minerva to the classroom. She did not ask any questions on the way there and he was grateful for that. He did not want to lie because he knew his lies were pretty poor. He had to work on that. He made a mental note to keep in store for later.
"You may go Harry. We are running overtime anyway", she said just outside the door with a rare smile that lit up her middle aged face.
"Thank you professor", he responded quickly with a smile of his own. She nodded and slipped inside the door. Harry turned around and went to the north tower. He had divination. He hated that even more than potion because of the room, the perfume, the horrible teacher and her "predictions". Oh yeah, and he hated the girls tentative attention to her. I wonder in which way I will die today, he thought sourly as he sat down to wait for the ladder to come down. Suddenly the day was not so great again and he doubted very much that he would have some kind of bounding with Sybil to make it better. The ladder came. He was the only one there so far. He did not want to sped extra time in the classroom up there but on the other hand he had nothing else to do so why not?
He took his usual seat beside the window so he could open it a bit to get some air. The perfume and the hot air killed him otherwise. He never opened it too much because if he did he was sure Trellawny would shut it.
Harry was yawning by the time Ron came. He decided not to bring up what happened in transfiguration unless Ron started. He did not have to wait long for it to happen.
"Harry! You can never guess what happened after you left!" Ron said at once he had been spotted.
"No. What happened?" he asked and tried to look curious.
"Malfoy attacked me! I said something about Lucius in prison and he just threw a hex at me! In front of everyone and McGonagall no less! Can you believe it? Blimley Harry! I got all green, luckily for Malfoy he did not get it right or else I would be unconscious in the hospital wing by now."
Harry felt a little bit sorry for Malfoy now when he knew Lucius wasn't all that bad. Lucius was by no means a good man but still, perhaps he were like Severus, hard on the outside but soft inside.
"Lets hope Malfoy gets what he deserves", he said half heartily and silently meant something else than what Ron thought he did.
"Oh yes! Detention and points taken from Slytherin!" Ron grinned and didn't notice Harry's half enthusiasm. At that Harry couldn't help but grin too. So maybe he felt sorry for Malfoy but that did not stop his glee from coming forward.
"Hello dears", came Trellawny voice when everyone was seated.
"Here she goes again", Ron whispered. Harry nodded.
They were supposed to watch their crystal balls again. Harry was looking at his half asleep already. The room was as usual, hot. It made him dizzy and tired. He would give almost everything to crawl into his own bed and sleep the rest of the day away.
"Harry dear! Tell us what you see!" Trellawny said suddenly and he blinked. He woke up to realise that his professor stood in front of him. He had not seen her coming his way.
"Eeh... I see a bug being eaten by a toad", he said and tried to make it sound convincing like Severus could. Ron howled in laugher. He knew what Harry meant and by the looks of it Trellawny wasn't pleased. How many times had they compared her with a oversized bug?
"Anything else dear?" she asked a bit stiffly.
Harry was about to say no when he really saw something. It made him sit upright and watch it.
"Yes. Professor Snape is coming", he said distractedly. Everyone knew Snape disliked Sybil Trellawny and would never put a foot in her office, classroom or anywhere near her at all. Apparently Sybil tried to catch Snape's interest and failed miserably every time.
"Most unlikely", she said and waved a hand. In that exact moment Snape came. Sybil actually feinted and fell down on the floor. Severus promptly took a step over her and sneered at the heap.