I'm Not Laughing Anymore

"I don't know…what happened. Once minute my potion was this yellow-green…puke consistency, the next I knock over a bottle of armadillo bile into it and…it's perfect. It did what it was supposed to do and came out the right colour and everything!" Neville's face was split in a wide grin. "I suppose I shouldn't feel good as it was done by accident…and we did lose thirty points because Professor Snape thought Hermione helped me…"

Harry sniffed while Hermione ranted quietly to herself. He caught the occasional 'what nerve', 'of all the unfair', 'lives to torment' and such. But ignored it. He was still thinking about his detention last night and sort of about class today too. He had caught Professor Snape looking at him a lot. And not the usual suspicious or glaring looks but…more inquisitive almost assessing. Harry had tried his very best to make the best potion ever and not tick him off…well, of course he didn't want to tick off Professor Snape. He wasn't trying to impress him or anything. Just keep things civil. Harry gave a firm nod.

"…think I'll actually get a good mark in Potions for once. Again I know I shouldn't be happy considering it was a mistake but still…"

Harry sighed. If Neville didn't shut up about that potion soon he was going to tap dance the macarina on his last nerve. Ron bounced around the corner toward them looking happy until he caught sight of Neville prattling on and on eagerly, Harry's withdrawn and musing face and Hermione ranting, still, under her breath.

"Okay what did Snape do today?" Ron started in a bored voice.

"Actually…only took off thirty points for Neville doing a potion right." Harry murmured back offhandedly.

"Only!?" Ron started staring at Harry. "And Neville did a potion right?!"

Neville looked hurt. "Try not to sound too surprised."

Hermione added. " And he usually has at least fifty by the end of a double Potions class."

"Well sorry but you know…you…getting a potion right is…like Harry said last night." They headed towards the Great Hall. "The odds of that happening are up there with Dumbledore dancing in the Great Hall and Snape smiling!"

Harry's face turned dark. "The Slytherins will know then. About…me. And God, who knows maybe he told them about the jokes too! He knew my humiliation was coming soon and that's why he didn't take points! Me being humiliated in public is so much better!"

"Oh Harry. We'll be with you. Just remember to control your temper. We don't need to give…any teachers reason to take points from us, okay?"

"Yea Harry stay strong. If anything we can hex them after we're away from teachers." Ron patted him on the back.

Neville suddenly looked upbeat again. "I'm going to run ahead to the Hall. I'll stick my head out and let you know if it's okay. Who knows maybe he didn't tell?"

Harry made a non-committal noise and continued his trudging walk to the Hall.

They had just got down the corridor from the Hall and could see Neville ahead waving at them when Dumbledore came around the next corner heading for the doors. With…muggle headphones on and the cords leading to his robe pocket. And he was…dancing. Dumbledore, the great wizard who had defeated Grindelwald, was bopping down the corridor snapping his fingers and nodding his head in time with the music. He paused at the door next to a stunned Neville and could be heard asking him 'if the weather wasn't nice today?' before continuing his 'bop' into the Hall.

Harry took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes firmly. "Okay…who else is getting a creepy feeling?"

Hermione made a few noises but couldn't voice the words, for once, and Ron was gaping as usual. However he managed to find the words first.

"Nutty…the man's nuttier than a granola bar! And he's…he's the leader of the Light?!" Ron's voice was incredulous and hysterical at the same time.

Hermione clutched Ron's arm. "Help me into the Hall. I think…I need to get off my feet."

Harry was still rubbing his eyes and put back on his glasses before looking at the spot where Dumbledore had been. 'I'm seeing things of course.' He walked forward to the Hall behind his friends and stepped in the door.

"Weasel," a drawling tone came from just inside the doors of the Great Hall and Harry cringed as he came around behind Ron and Hermione. "you large overbearing simpleton. Can't you watch where you're going? Or do those appendages on your head affect your visual judgement too?"

"Stuff it Malfoy. You're one to talk. Doesn't all the hair gel weigh down on the little gray matter you possess?" Harry sneered and pulled on Ron's arm meaning to pull them firmly towards the Gryffindor table.

"Great Harry Potter…I suppose you want someone to kiss your flaming arse? You're nothing but a self-absorbed depraved imbecile that expects everyone to bow down to him…" Harry didn't continue to listen to Malfoy's taunting voice and the words that fell from his mouth like he'd seen the parchment himself. Harry didn't know he had shimmering tears in his defiant eyes as he glared at the Head table where he knew Snape was. How could you, you, miserable…interfering…Harry turned his head resolutely away and focused his attention back to where the people he could depend on were defending him.

"Malfoy you know nothing! I don't know what your esteemed Head of house has been telling you but it was just a joke! And you…you slithering gits have no right to be…talking about Harry this way."

Ron joined Hermione, "And if you don't quit it…" and pulled his wand. "I'll hex you to Hades, ferret boy. There is nothing wrong with being gay."

Malfoy looked stunned and confused though. "You mean to tell me…you asinine dumbasses actually created a game where you insulted yourself with the biggest words your diminutive minds could make up?" Malfoy laughed then. Loud and long. "Just when I thought you couldn't get any more tasteless, you prove me wrong!" He clutched his stomach. "I suppose it helped your vocabulary though. Oh Merlin I have to go share this. Bye Big Ears…and Lewd Gay Whore?" Malfoy wiggled his fingers at Harry before stumbling off laughing.

'Oh my God…oh my God…this day cannot get any worse!' Harry gaped.

"Dear God…Harry, Ron. He didn't know! We just told him…oh Merlin he didn't know."

Ron was gaping. "I'll panic over that later…I'm still…stuck on the first fact that Snape actually hadn't told them."

"I'm more worried about the fact WE just told them! They know…I'm gay…" Harry whispered depressed.

Pansy picked then to run into the Hall with a screech.

"OH MERLIN YOU GRYFFINDORS ARE SUCH…" she never finished so didn't lose any points but she did then require to be taken to the hospital wing after her stitch from laughing became so painful she couldn't move.

Harry grabbed his hair while someone conjured a stretcher for her and was about to tear it out when he got a glimpse of the Head Table. Snape was there. Looking towards the scene. A strange phenomenon was taken place. His face was twitching. And his lips were turning upwards at the side. And…his eyes…looked…amused. Harry's mouth dropped open as he outright stared. And then…thenSnape smiled. Actually started to CHUCKLE! In front of every student in the Great Hall who wasn't focused on raving Pansy.

Harry bubble of shock was rudely broken byher parting words through her laughter. "Almost…thought…Prof-Professor Snape!…SAID!…that stuff…TO YOU!" She then clutched her stomach and fell back on the stretcher shaking with breathless laughter leaving a stunned Great Hall behind her.

A/N: I was suddenly swept up in the urge to write this...hope you like it. I think the next is the last in my 'Laughing' series.Lol