Thank you all for the wonderful reviews :-)
Keep them coming
Chapter 78
Dudley tried to hold his wand loosely, like his aunt had showed him, but for some reason, the feather on his desk just wouldn't float.
"Make sure you get the pronunciation right, Dudley. It's Win-GAR-dium le-vi-O-sa. And pay close attention to the swish and flick movement"
Dudley tried to concentrate again and pointed his wand at the feather and called "Vicarium legivosa"
A green flash came out of his wand and he dropped it instantly.
"What did you do this time?" Lily sighed and stepped up to the table.
"It's WINGARDIUM LEVIOSA. Now repeat after me WINGARDIUM LEVIOSA"
Dudley repeated it and this time he paid more attention to say it right.
"And this is the reason why we normally don't allow pets in class" she finally said and pointed at Shaka.
Dudley gasped when he recognized the full, silver-grey mustache on the rat.
"Can you reverse this? He looks like a crossbreed of a rat and a walrus"
Lily laughed heartily and flicked her wand at the little rat.
"You need to pay attention how you say the spell. The next time you might be affected and not just your rat"
Dudley nodded thoughtfully. This wouldn't be as easy as he expected.
He again directed his wand towards the feather and looked at Lily, who nodded encouragingly.
Then he screwed his face up in concentration and said "Wingardium leviosa" and finally the feather rose from the desk and floated a few inches to the left.
"I did it! Did you see that? I did it!" Dudley shouted happily and grinned broadly.
"Yes this was a good start. Now keep practicing until you can control the way the feather floats."
------------------
Harry had finished his potion just in time before Snape ended class.
"Fill some of your potion into a vial and deposit it on my table. We're testing them next lesson."
An anxious whisper echoed through the room after this annunciation before everybody hurried out of the classroom.
Snape put the vials away and picked up Magical Drafts and Potions. During the first lesson, he wouldn't let his new student get near to a cauldron.
He had to make sure that this boy understood what magic was about and his usual speech to 'welcome' the first years should do it.
Then he left the potions classroom and rushed up the stairs to the first floor.
Dudley had just returned from the common room and held his wand tightly when Snape entered.
He watched the teacher pacing down the aisle and towards the teacher's desk.
"There will be no foolish wand-waving or silly incantations in my class. As such, I don't expect you to appreciate the subtle science and exact art that is potion making. "
Dudley shivered slightly when he heard the low but strict voice. He knew this teacher couldn't be fooled.
"I can teach you how to bewitch the mind and ensnare the senses.
I can tell you how to bottle fame, brew glory and even put a stopper in death."
The boy's eyes sparkled and he knew that this was something he would enjoy. This was an exact subject, no right pronunciation or hand movements, just A & B = C.
"I doubt that you have any idea what this class is about and I'm not going to waste my energy to explain it to you now. It's very well described in your textbook. Read the first 2 chapters and then I will answer questions that might occur"
The way the potion master stressed the word 'might' gave Dudley the strong impression that there better would not be any questions.
He opened the book and started to read.
After about half an hour Snape walked up to his desk and Dudley looked up into beetle black eyes.
"Did you understand what the first two chapters were dealing with?" Snape said sharply.
"I think so. It was about the different properties of ingredients, how you can alter properties by mixing certain ingredients, and a little introduction in the most important ingredients and potions."
"It seems that tutoring you might not be a total waste of time then" Snape said coldly before he returned to his desk.
"But you will address me as Professor or Sir at all times. Did I make myself clear?"
"Yes...sir"
"Now continue with chapter three and four. Then we will proceed to some illustrative material"
Dudley groaned slightly at the aspect of even more reading, but submitted to the inevitable.
After Dudley had read the next chapters, Snape opened a cupboard and took out several jars.
The boy distorted his face in disgust and pushed his chair back.
"Now step up and tell me what you see" Snape said with an evil grin on his face.
Dudley reluctantly walked around his table and looked at the contents of the jars.
He pointed at one and said "I think these are some sort of beetles, though I have never see anything like it before"
"Those are scarab beetle; a very common ingredient. You crush them before you use them" Snape said matter-of-factly.
Dudley then moved to the next jar. "What is that slimy ball in there?" he asked curiously.
"Those are frog brains"
"Cool! And what's that?" he pointed at the next.
"These are different parts of rats; mostly tail and spleen. Entrails are often used in potion making."
When Snape recognized the mischievous grin on Dudley's face, he decided that he needed to bring the boy down a peg or two. He leaned over the table and snarled
"There is something that I need to point out, Dursley. When you try anything silly in my class, you're going to regret it. You're not getting a bonus for being new and I'm not cutting you any slack. If you don't pay the utmost attention and do your very best in my class I have my ways to make life miserable for you"
Dudley flinched slightly as the potion master's face was right in front of him. The beetle black eyes bore into his and his mouth was just a thin line.
Then Snape turned to a jar which was much bigger than the others.
"Those are horned toads. You can ask some of your fellow Gryffindors how much fun it is to disembowel them. That is one of my favourite punishments for outrageous behaviour in class"
Dudley swallowed hard and moved slightly back from the table.
"I think that was enough potions for the first day. Sit back at your table and write down your homework. I expect half a scroll for each question and you will mention all the sources that you used to find the answers. If you get them from another student, I will know it and you can take care of the next barrel of horned toads. Am I understood?"
Dudley nodded frantically and grabbed his quill.
Snape flicked his wand at the blackboard and the boy started to write.
What would you get if you added root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?
Where would you look if I asked you to find a bezoar and what is it used for?
What is the difference between monkshood and wolfsbane?
"I trust you can find all the answers in the library. So I hope you've cleaned your ears thoroughly this morning, because what's coming next is very important. We're starting with Defence against the Dark Arts"
Dudley could see an enthusiastic sparkle in his teacher's eyes when Snape stepped forward and leaned against the desk.
"It's highly important that you understand that magic in general is not evil, but there are some people who want to use magic to harm others. Most magic is neutral but some is evil in its intention. It depends on the person how the magic is used. However there are curses that are used to harm people. The most cruel and dangerous ones are forbidden to use and are called the Unforgivables.
These include the Cruciatus Curse, The Imperius Curse and the Killing Curse, but we will deal with them later.
There are also dark creatures that will be mentioned later on in this class; how you can recognize them and how you fight them.
Now take out your book and read the first chapter. Then we will talk about it."
After class, Dudley went down to lunch and prepared himself for another double period of DADA.
Snape had giving him a general overview so far and they would start with the basic attack spells and how to defend yourself.
When he reached the Great Hall, he saw Hermione waving at him from the Gryffindor table.
Reluctantly he walked over and found a place just opposite of her. She had just returned from her Arithmancy class and waited for Ron and Harry to come back from Divination.
"So how did your first lesson go?" she asked him politely and he shrugged his shoulders.
"I don't know, really. How do you call it – Charms? That wasn't too bad, but Professor Snape is –"
Dudley just shuddered and piled food up on his plate.
Hermione smiled at him with pity and replied "I know he's quite scary at time, but he's a great teacher. We've learned loads. Just don't cross him. Never!"
"Yes I heard that already from his own lips" Dudley said airily. "But what actually can he do except of giving me detention?"
Hermione gasped. She knew exactly what Snape was capable of but if Dudley was so ignorant to listen to reason, then he might had to learn it the hard way.
Then Ron and Harry joined them at the table.
"I see you've survived your first lesson with Snape" the black-haired boy grinned at his cousin.
"How much homework did he assign?" Ron added while he started to pile up chicken pieces on his plate.
"He gave me three questions to answer in potions. Something about a bezo-something and a monk, I guess. Can't be too hard to figure that out" Dudley answered while he munched on his meat, avoiding the vegetables carefully.
Harry and Ron looked at each other and had to stifle a fit of laughter.
"I think I know what questions he asked" Harry stated.
"Yeah, he could have come up with something new in 4 years" Ron snickered and Hermione looked at them in a very displeased manner.
"Snape's not that bad. Actually he's kinda cool" Ron said mischievously.
Harry immediately jumped to his cue and added "Yeah, he isn't strict at all. Don't worry Big D, he's just loud and dogs that bark don't bite."
Dudley looked at them, not sure what to believe. Then Kelsey, who had remained quiet until then said "Snape really isn't a bad guy, just a bit overdramatic. He likes to make a big entrance and tries to intimidate everybody with that, but deep inside he's as soft as a fluffy kitten"
Kayla couldn't hold back her laughter anymore, but managed to turn it into a cough at the last moment.
Dudley looked very pleased with the information.
"This is exactly how I pictured him in the first place"
Hermione just sighed "Then there's really no help for you"
Everybody around them now broke into laughter, even Dudley, who didn't get the point of this conversation at all.
After lunch Dudley returned unhurriedly to his classroom, while the others rushed to DADA.
When he arrived, Snape was already there waiting for him.
"What took you so long?" he snarled. "Lunch was over 15 minutes ago."
Dudley sat down as nonchalantly as possible and replied airily "Oh I thought there was no need to rush so I just enjoyed the walk"
"You. Enjoyed. The. Walk!" Snape growled, stressing every single word.
"I thought I had explained to you in details that I will not tolerate any foolishness and this includes loitering in the corridors while you should be in class. I have better things to do with my time than to waste it on you dunderhead." he spat.
Dudley gasped in shock as the potion master left his seat behind the desk and placed himself in front of his table.
"When you think you know so much about the Dark Arts that you allow yourself to waste your time...enjoying your walk... then let me see how you can handle a boggart"
"A what?"
Snape sneered and pointed at a little box on the floor that rattled terribly.
"We're not so smart after all, are we?" he said, his voice dripping of sarcasm.
"Boggarts are shape-shifters, which prefer to live in dark, confined spaces and take the form of the thing most feared by the person they encounter. In our case this would be – you"
Dudley started to fidget with his wand on the table nervously.
"Is-is it dangerous... sir?
"A boggart is classified as a dark creature, because it feeds on the emotion of fear. The creature itself is not necessarily dangerous, but the emotion it provokes certainly is. It has been reported that people have died of a heart attack after an encounter with a boggart"
Dudley grimaced and chanced a glance at the rattling box.
"So what do I have to do now .. sir?
"You defeat a boggart with the Ridikkulus spell. This means, you point your wand at the boggart, say 'Riddikulus' and think very hard about something that makes it look funny or less scary."
The boy nodded and grabbed his wand tightly.
"Now, think about what you fear most and how you can make it look silly. You have five minutes" Snape said icily and reached for the box.
Dudley distorted his face in concentration and tried to figure out how he could make his worst nightmare less terrible.
"So what are you most afraid of?" Snape asked as he put the box on his desk.
Dudley got up and stood opposite of it. The potion master recognized that the student was shaking with fright and wondered what shape the boggart would take.
"Well now, what are you most afraid of" he snapped impatiently.
Dudley paid close attention to his shoelaces and whispered "The boogy man"
"What?" the potion master called in disbelief. "You're afraid of what?"
"The boogy man...that's how my mommy called it. You know the black man who comes and gets the bad children"
Snape shook his head and said in an arrogant manner "How old are you to believe in such childish cock-and-bull stories"
When he opened the box, Dudley grabbed his wand even tighter, but held it by his side.
"This stick in your hand has a certain use. Point it at the boggart you dunderhead" Snape spat impatiently. This boy was getting on his nerves by now and he felt a slight headache coming on.
Dudley pointed his wand at the box and then he saw a dark figure rising out of it.
Snape stared at the black hooded figure that was standing in front of his desk.
It was clearly a deatheater pointing a wand at the boy.
Dudley paled to a ghostly white and dropped his wand.
"He's here to get me!" he screamed and tumbled out of the classroom.
As soon as the boy had left the classroom, the boggart turned towards Snape and changed shape.
The potion master pointed his wand at the dark haired man in front of him, who shouted profanities at him and said "Ridikkulus"
After the boggart was back in its box, Snape sat down at his desk and wondered, how this boy's worst fear could be a deatheater.
He had to talk to Lupin about it, but first he wanted to inform the headmistress, so he rushed out of the classroom.
He reached the gargoyles in front of the moving staircase and spoke the password.
"Come in" he heard the high voice of McGonagall call as he reached the door of her office and he entered.
"Sit down Severus. Would you like something to drink?"
The potion master declined courteously and said "There's something I need to talk to you about and I think it is important that Dumbledore is joining us"
The headmistress nodded thoughtfully and turned around to the portrait of Dumbledore, which hung in her office along with the other previous headmasters.
"Albus, your presence is required."
A minute later, the face of Dumbledore appeared in his portrait and he smiled warmly at the two professors.
"What can I do for you Minerva?"
"Severus here has some news to share"
The eyes of the older witch and wizard were on Severus as he recalled the incident with the boggart.
"I am sure it was a deatheater. We need to find out when and how this boy has met any of the Dark Lord's minions. As far as I know, he has never been alone in the wizarding world and no one told me about an incident with deatheaters he was involved in"
Dumbledore looked at the potion master with a troubled expression on his face.
"This is really something we need to investigate further. Please, Minerva, call Remus immediately and let him talk to Harry and Dudley. Maybe they can tell us some facts we were not aware of yet"
"Well, Severus, how is our new student doing?" McGonagall said firmly and her eyes rested on the potion master's face.
"When it comes to potions, he might not be a total failure, but I can't say much about his talents when it comes to DADA. However, I have to say that he has the liability to breaking rules and outrageous behaviour like every Gryffindor."
Professor McGonagall gave him her sternest look and her mouth was as thin as it possibly could be. She was fair and strict, but the constant maligning of Snape when it came to the Gryffindors was something she was not pleased about.
She had been shocked when this boy had been sorted into her own house. In her point of view he was more Hufflepuff or even Slytherin material and she was curious to see in what way the Gryffindor traits would come through.
--------------------------------
Dudley had calmed down quite a bit when he reached the common room. He knew he had overreacted a bit, when he saw the shape-shifter. After all the boogy man didn't really exist, but what else had this creature in the classroom been?
When he squeezed through the portrait hole, he recognized Harry, Ron, Hermione, Kelsey and Kayla sitting next to the fireplace.
"Well, Dudley, come here and sit down. There's something I need to talk to you about" Harry said when he spotted his cousin.
"What do you want?" Dudley snapped.
"Come on, there is just something you need to know; the way how things work here"
The stout boy gave him an arrogant look and sat down.
"You have to know that here, the house you belong to is your family. You don't put your family down. I won't sit here and watch you glorifying the Slytherins. You are a Gryffindor and you better behave like one and if I ever see you butt-kissing a Slytherin, I swear I will hex you into the next millennium" Harry said in such a dangerously low voice that he could have given Snape a run for his money.
"You can't tell me what to do! I have always been superior to you at home, and soon it won't be any different here" Dudley spat and stormed off towards the dormitories.
"Do you think this was a good strategy?" Hermione said cautiously.
"I don't care what you think right now, Hermione. Have you just heard him? He is still the arrogant bully he has always been, but I'm not going to watch him making all Gryffindors ridiculous by running after the Slytherins. And I'm sure he's going to try to chum up with them" Harry said firmly.
"I wonder who he thinks he is" Ron said and shook his head in disbelief. "He just started at Hogwarts and already has the opinion he soon will be better than you."
"Well, just let him have a nice encounter with Voldemort and his deatheaters; that will shut his big mouth." Kelsey said thoughtfully.
"At least he has Snape to prepare him. With Lockhart, he would totally be lost." Ron stated while he took out his Herbology homework.
"I doubt that he would ever stand a chance against a full fletched deatheater, no matter how good the teacher is. He's too careless; he doesn't listen to reason and is just a bloody slime ball" Harry said and started on his star chart for Astronomy.
Hermione looked at her best friend and shook her head ever so slightly. She had never seen Harry showing such open hostility against somebody except Malfoy.
Although she didn't know Dudley well, it seemed to her that he was just reacting so aggressive against Harry and she wasn't entirely sure why.
She knew that the two cousins had never liked each other, but the whole time she had ascribed it to Harry being a wizard. Now they both were wizards, so she had somehow expected that they might get a little closer now. Unfortunately, this didn't seem to happen.