Sorry the update took so long. Life is crazy. Anyway, thanks for all the lovely reviews. Unfortunately, due to time and a restricted internet access time, I can't respond to them all personally in the chapter. If you would like a response, please leave your e-mail address in your review and I'll get back to you.
"You wanted to see me, sir?" Snape looked up at him over the jars of... well, whatever they were, eyes narrowing in disgust. Harry gulped in fear (even after over five years in the class, he was still unused to that piercing glare). "About my essay," he added, holding the parchment in front of him like a peace offering.
"I know quite well why you're here, Potter," Snape growled. "Your essay was... most surprising. Tell me, where did you get your information from?"
"The library, of course. I researched and worked really hard on it. I'm sorry if it's not up to your standards." Of course, nothing Harry ever did was up to Snape's standards.
"This is undoubtedly the best essay you have ever written."
"Sorry?"
"You heard what I said, Potter. Don't push it."
Harry ran a hand through his hair and pushed his glasses up on his nose. "I didn't cheat, if that's what you're insinuating."
"Such large words from such a puny brain, Potter."
"I didn't cheat, professor," Harry reiterated, growing frustrated. "I wrote the essay all by myself, without Hermione or help from everybody else. If you don't believe me," Harry shrugged, "well, my grade can't be much worse."
"I don't appreciate your sarcasm, Potter. I'm not insinuating anything of the sort. I just want to know why you chose the ingredients you did."
"Because they made the most sense, professor. The manticore scales interacted with the chiamera hairs without violence because of the close kinship of the two magical creatures. Under normal circumstances, both are extremely volatile, but when mixed together, they each nullify the effects of the other-"
"I read your paper, Potter. But why did you choose them?"
"I already told you! Those were the two ingredients that made the most sense to me!"
Snape rose to his feet, planting his hands on each side of his desk. "You weren't trying to impress me, were you, Potter? Thought that throwing out a decent paper for once would raise my opinion of you? Thought that your celebrity status would finally kick in, Potter."
"I wrote the paper because that was the assignment!" Harry tried to defend himself, also rising to his feet in fury. "I don't care about impressing you at all! It's not like anything I do would change your opinion of me!"
"Don't smart off, Potter!"
"Don't yell at me, Snape!" His chest heaved with anger. "I did what you told me to do, and you're just mad because I did a half decent job of it for once."
"Shut up!" Snape roared, slamming his hand down onto the hard surface of the desk. Parchment scattered, jars rolled off and shattered on the flagstone floor. A picture flew through the air, slamming into the wall.
The glass broke, showering the floor in small fragments.
Harry's attention snapped immediately after Snape's temper and he turned around to see what Snape considered important enough to keep a picture of.
A flash of red hair was the first thing he saw, followed by a glimpse of white teeth and green eyes.
"That's... that's my mum."
Snape stared at the boy for a second in awe. "What are you talking about, boy?" he brought himself to say, stomach rumbling in distinct fear.
"That picture. That's my mum." Harry turned confused eyes on his potions professor, begging for an explanation.
"That's impossible," Snape muttered, breathing deeply. "Impossible."
"I'm telling you that's my mum!" Harry's face flushed to a dark red that would make a Weasley proud. "What are you doing with a picture of my mum?"
"Don't be ridiculous. Why would I have a picture of your precious father's wife? The entire idea is completely... ridiculous."
"That's my mum. My mum. What is a greasy git like you doing defiling her like that?" Harry drew his wand, clutching it tightly in his fist, unsure of whether or not he actually intended to use it.
"One hundred points from Gryffindor," Snape hissed acidicly. Harry opened his mouth to protest, but was cut off by a sharp glare. "And detention with Mr. Filch tomorrow night. Dismissed."
Harry, with one last defiant glare, reached down to snatch the picture from amidst the broken glass, making sure Snape saw him. He promptly stalked out of the room, shoulders shaking in fury.
As soon as the door slammed shut behind him, Snape dropped his head onto his desk. He wondered if there were still a few bottles of fire whiskey around in his office somewhere. He couldn't remember ever throwing them away.
He could really use a pint.
Or six.