Erm... how do you get better readers on this thing? And how the hell do you
do bolds and italics and stuff? Thanks. Enjoy the chapter! Oh, and thanks
to my other reviewers:
Anonymous: Thanks for another review! OK, lets just say the spell she cast prevents them from giving anything away. They aren't able to say it, write it... they can't repeat it in any way whatsoever. Tell me if you spot any other slip-ups. Thanks a lot for the review! Oh, and about the romance question... there will be a bit... but not overly romance and stuff... and as to whether Harry will get with anyone... you'll just have to wait and see!
donna: Thanks for the review! Yeah, I'm going to make Harry and Snape get closer, but it just won't happen all at once. Hope you like the story!
Chapter Five:
"Oi! Harry! Wake up mate!" Harry groaned and rolled onto his side, facing away from the disturbance.
He heard Ron chuckle slightly. "Come on, breakfasts ready, I'll be downstairs."
Ron's footsteps left the room, and Harry opened his eyes blearily. Harry instinctively reached to his left...
But something was wrong.
Something was very, very wrong.
He could see. And he didn't have his glasses on.
"Shit."
Harry groaned and put his head in his hands.
"Why does everything happen to me?"
This is called a rhetorical question. Which means you are not expecting an answer. So, naturally, Harry jumped about three feet in the air when a cheeky voice said,
"Oh... I dunno... might have something to do with being destined to kill a Dark Lord,"
"Rosie?"
"The one and only!" He heard her make a tutting noise from the doorway.
"You're still not properly awake... that won't do... that won't do at all..."
A wave of ice-cold water rushed over him.
Harry's eyes snapped open, "What was that for?"
"To wake you up, silly!" said Rosie, rolling her eyes, "And what do you mean you can see? Eyes don't just magically fix themselves you know..."
"I know," Harry ground out. "That is why I was asking WHY MY EYES FIXED THEMSELVES!!!"
There was a pause. "Ah... that would explain it then..."
Rosie waved her hand again, ice cold water, for the second time that morning, poured over Harry.
"What was that for?! I'm already awake!"
"Yeah..." said Rosie absently, "But you stink."
He heard Rosie leave.
"I hate her..." he muttered, shaking his head.
Harry swung his legs over the side of the bed, and felt something underneath his feet.
It was a present, wrapped in silver wrapping paper. There was a note attached.
Dear Harry,
I know it was you're birthday yesterday, but have a reputation to uphold, and I would have never been able to live it down if I gave you your present in front of every one...
Anyway, Harry, Happy Birthday.
Professor Severus Snape.
Harry smiled to himself... maybe this relationship could work...
He tore off the paper, eager to see what was inside. A blue sphere fell out.
Frowning, Harry turned the note over, looking for a description of some kind.
This sphere is like a sort of pensieve. It holds some old memories inside, and you're able to observe any of the memories at will. I hope you like them. To see the memories, just hold the sphere in both hands, and say 'Videre Memoria'.
Harry held the sphere.
"Videre Mem-"
"Harry! Hurry up! Breakfasts ready!" Ron was standing in the doorway.
Harry nodded, trying to subtly hide the sphere under his bed-covers.
"Coming, Ron."
Ron nodded, and left. Harry looked mournfully at his sphere.
"Have to look at you another time..." he muttered.
He put his sphere and the letter into his trunk, locking it with numerous spells with a wave of his hand.
Harry froze, just realizing what he had done, and looked down at his hand.
"What the..." He waved his hand again. He changed from his pajamas to being fully dressed.
Harry shook his head. Things were getting weirder and weirder. Sighing, he left his bedroom and made his way into the kitchen.
Mrs. Weasley smiled at him from her place at the sink.
"Hello, Harry dear," she said humbly. "We've toast on the table, or would you like me to boil and egg for you? Or I could do both-"
"Erm... I'm not that hungry Mrs. Weasley..."
"Oh yes you are," she snapped. "Now sit down this instant and eat!"
Harry sat down. She piled the plate in front of him with food. Toast, eggs, fruit, bacon...
"I'm not going to be able to eat all this..." he muttered.
"Goob," said Ron, his mouth already stuffed with about three pieces of toast.
"Them you won' mine 'f I 'av ib?"
Harry shook his head, and Ron took two pieces of toast from Harry's plate.
"Ronald Weasley!" Mrs. Weasley snapped. "That is disgusting! Not to mention horribly rude for poor Harry! He might of wanted those!"
"Don't worry, Mrs. Weasley," he mumbled. "Don't think I'll have any breakfast... not hungry..." He stood up from the table.
"SIT!"
He sat.
"EAT!"
He ate.
Fred and George entered. "Hello, all!" They cried in unison. Then they froze at the sight of Harry.
"What?" said Harry, quickly swallowing the egg Mrs. Weasley had previously stuffed in his mouth.
"You're... You're..." stuttered Fred.
"... You're hair, mate..." said George slowly. "I-It's... flat..."
Harry's mouth fell open. Slowly, he reached to the top of his head.
"My God..." he whispered. "So it is..."
"I think I need to sit down..." mumbled Fred, collapsing into a nearby chair.
"Oh, don't be so melodramatic," said Mrs. Weasley, rolling her eyes.
"It's probably just got passed the messy stage, that's all,"
Ron shook his head. "You don't understand, mum... Harry's hair has always been messy... never flat... I doubt that one random morning it would just... lie flat..."
There was a silence in the room.
"Right..." said Harry uneasily. "Well... I'll just... be... going... then..."
Casting a wary glance around the silent room, he left.
"Hey Harry!"
It was Remus.
"Hi, Professor,"
Remus gave a smile, but it was slightly strained.
"Call me Remus, Harry. I'm not a professor any more."
Harry smiled and nodded.
Remus suddenly chuckled and shook his head.
"Moody's more paranoid than usual," he said, "He caught this white tiger somewhere near here, saying it was a spy for Voldemort."
Harry's mouth fell open in disbelief.
"A white tiger?!" He said, "A spy for Voldemort?"
"That right, Potter," growled a voice from behind him. Harry spun around. It was Moody, and he was supporting an unconscious tiger over his right shoulder. Remus had been right, it was a white tiger, it was huge, and it was covered in ropes.
At that moment Mrs. Weasley, Fred, George, Hermione, Ron, Ginny and Rosie all came out of the kitchen.
"What's that?" Mrs. Weasley shrieked. "What's it doing in this house?"
"Professor Moody believes it's a spy for Voldemort." Said Harry dryly.
Fred snorted.
The tiger eyes snapped open, and she let out a low growl. Azorath squirmed nervously underneath his clothes.
Moody let it down onto the ground.
"Stop it, Professor..." Harry whispered. "I doubt Voldemort would send a white tiger to spy for him..."
"Then what's it doing in England, eh?" He growled. He kicked the tiger in the side.
"Stop hurting her..." Harry whispered.
"Don't go all animal rights on me, Potter." He said, rolling his normal eye, his magical eye staying fixed on the tiger.
Harry reached out to pet the tiger.
"Harry," said Remus in a warning tone.
Harry stroked her head. The tiger closed her eyes and she let out a low purr.
"She probably escaped from a zoo if she's not attacking us..."
Moody reached down to touch her as well, but as soon as his gnarled hands made contact with her silky fur, she stood up and roared, standing right in front of Harry.
"Don't think she likes you..." mumbled Harry, trying to keep the amusement from showing in his voice.
Someone knocked at the door. Tonks was there, as well as McGonagall and Snape, who both looked like they were at the end of their tether.
"Look what I bought!" cried Tonks, waving a muggle radio in the air. "They're selling them at Diagon Alley! They play muggle music an all! I just love muggle music!"
She faltered, looking at the scene before them. The Weasleys, Rosie and Remus were all standing in front of the kitchen, Harry was petting a giant tiger, whispering soothing words to her as the tiger closed her eyes and purred contentedly, and Moody was standing in front of the tiger with his wand out, ready to curse her into oblivion.
"What are you doing with a tiger?" Snape asked Harry, one brow raised.
"He -" said Harry, jabbing a thumb in Moody's direction. "- Found her and thought she was a spy for Voldemort -" Snape raised his eyebrow again at this. "- And he was hurting her so I stopped him." Said Harry, looking at Snape.
"And," Moody cut in. "And then I tried to pat her and the damn cat nearly bit my finger off!"
"That was because you were hurting her!" said Harry indignantly.
"You thought she was a spy for Voldemort?" inquired McGonagall.
"Well..." said Moody, gaining a pink tinge to his cheeks. "Since when do you see a tiger wandering around Britain, eh?"
"What on earth is going on here?" said Dumbledore, stepping into the hallway. Fawkes, who was perched on Dumbledore's shoulder, flew gracefully over to Harry, coming to a rest on his hand.
"Well... We'll just have to get rid of the tiger..." said Moody, raising his wand.
"NO!" cried Harry, wrapping his arms protectively around her. Azorath came out of his sleeve and hissed some rather rude words at Moody.
Tonks chuckled.
"A rather interesting group of pets you got there, Harry," she said, winking at him. "A tiger, a phoenix and a snake."
Harry grinned.
"The tiger just can't stay here," said Moody, stepping forward.
"Yes she can!"
"No she can't!"
"Yes she can!"
"No she-"
"Shut up," said McGonagall briskly. "We'll decide what to do with her. In the meantime, she can stay here."
Harry beamed.
A few people left, and as McGonagall was leaving Harry swore she muttered,
"I swear, this place is a mad house..."
Harry couldn't agree more.
"Oh, Harry," said Remus, "I've just gotta go get something, but can you wait here? I need to talk to you in a sec..."
Harry nodded, and Remus went up the stairs.
It was only him and Snape. Harry shuffled his feet nervously, and looked at the floor.
"Erm... thanks for the present professor... though I haven't had a chance to look at the memories yet..."
"That's... okay..." Snape seemed to be just as nervous as him.
Harry suddenly looked at him, and beamed.
"I see you kept our deal," said Harry happily, looking at Snape's now short hair. It looked very good on him. And it wasn't greasy.
"Yeah," He said, absently, touching his hair. "I kind of like it. But it's not half as menacing as it used to be. Took me ages to get that bloody reputation, and now you've just gone and ruined it."
Harry laughed.
"I see you've kept you're end of the deal," said Snape, eyeing his now flat hair.
"Yep!" said Harry, puffing out his chest proudly. "First time it's been flat in sixteen years! And I can see without my glasses now!"
Snape actually smiled. "I can see that..."
He looked a bit uneasy.
"It's not like I'm really you're professor in the holidays... so... how bout... You just call me Severus when we're alone?"
Harry nodded, then smiled. "And you call me Harry,"
"Sure..."
"Hey!"
Remus was back, and he was holding a key.
"The others are going to come down to watch. You going to come, Severus?"
Severus shrugged. "May as well,"
"Good! Harry, we decided that you can't always have you're wand... so, we're going to teach you hand-to-hand combat!" He grinned. "You okay with that?"
Harry grinned and nodded. "Okay, we found a room which will be perfect. Follow me,"
He led them into a room Harry had never been in just to the left of the kitchen. He led them to the left was of that room, got out his wand, tapped the wall three times, and it revealed a door.
Remus grinned at him and opened it, there was a flight of stairs going down.
Harry followed Remus down, and blinked when the light flared to life.
It had no windows, but was very bright. It had wooden flooring, and chairs along the far wall.
Moody, Kingsley, McGonagall, Snape, all his friends (including Rosie), Mrs. Weasley, Mr. Weasley all entered together and took a seat. The tiger, Harry presumed, had decided to stay upstairs.
"Harry, I want to test you on what you can do on reflex. Now, a hand-to- hand duel starts very much like a wizard duel..." explained Remus.
Harry suddenly felt extremely nervous.
"We bow..." said Remus slowly, lowering his back but keeping his eye on Harry the whole time, "And then... we duel."
AN: Hee hee! Does this count as a cliffhanger? Sorry not much happened in this chapter, but I needed to get a few things straight. Please review, hope you enjoyed!
***
Anonymous: Thanks for another review! OK, lets just say the spell she cast prevents them from giving anything away. They aren't able to say it, write it... they can't repeat it in any way whatsoever. Tell me if you spot any other slip-ups. Thanks a lot for the review! Oh, and about the romance question... there will be a bit... but not overly romance and stuff... and as to whether Harry will get with anyone... you'll just have to wait and see!
donna: Thanks for the review! Yeah, I'm going to make Harry and Snape get closer, but it just won't happen all at once. Hope you like the story!
Chapter Five:
"Oi! Harry! Wake up mate!" Harry groaned and rolled onto his side, facing away from the disturbance.
He heard Ron chuckle slightly. "Come on, breakfasts ready, I'll be downstairs."
Ron's footsteps left the room, and Harry opened his eyes blearily. Harry instinctively reached to his left...
But something was wrong.
Something was very, very wrong.
He could see. And he didn't have his glasses on.
"Shit."
Harry groaned and put his head in his hands.
"Why does everything happen to me?"
This is called a rhetorical question. Which means you are not expecting an answer. So, naturally, Harry jumped about three feet in the air when a cheeky voice said,
"Oh... I dunno... might have something to do with being destined to kill a Dark Lord,"
"Rosie?"
"The one and only!" He heard her make a tutting noise from the doorway.
"You're still not properly awake... that won't do... that won't do at all..."
A wave of ice-cold water rushed over him.
Harry's eyes snapped open, "What was that for?"
"To wake you up, silly!" said Rosie, rolling her eyes, "And what do you mean you can see? Eyes don't just magically fix themselves you know..."
"I know," Harry ground out. "That is why I was asking WHY MY EYES FIXED THEMSELVES!!!"
There was a pause. "Ah... that would explain it then..."
Rosie waved her hand again, ice cold water, for the second time that morning, poured over Harry.
"What was that for?! I'm already awake!"
"Yeah..." said Rosie absently, "But you stink."
He heard Rosie leave.
"I hate her..." he muttered, shaking his head.
Harry swung his legs over the side of the bed, and felt something underneath his feet.
It was a present, wrapped in silver wrapping paper. There was a note attached.
Dear Harry,
I know it was you're birthday yesterday, but have a reputation to uphold, and I would have never been able to live it down if I gave you your present in front of every one...
Anyway, Harry, Happy Birthday.
Professor Severus Snape.
Harry smiled to himself... maybe this relationship could work...
He tore off the paper, eager to see what was inside. A blue sphere fell out.
Frowning, Harry turned the note over, looking for a description of some kind.
This sphere is like a sort of pensieve. It holds some old memories inside, and you're able to observe any of the memories at will. I hope you like them. To see the memories, just hold the sphere in both hands, and say 'Videre Memoria'.
Harry held the sphere.
"Videre Mem-"
"Harry! Hurry up! Breakfasts ready!" Ron was standing in the doorway.
Harry nodded, trying to subtly hide the sphere under his bed-covers.
"Coming, Ron."
Ron nodded, and left. Harry looked mournfully at his sphere.
"Have to look at you another time..." he muttered.
He put his sphere and the letter into his trunk, locking it with numerous spells with a wave of his hand.
Harry froze, just realizing what he had done, and looked down at his hand.
"What the..." He waved his hand again. He changed from his pajamas to being fully dressed.
Harry shook his head. Things were getting weirder and weirder. Sighing, he left his bedroom and made his way into the kitchen.
Mrs. Weasley smiled at him from her place at the sink.
"Hello, Harry dear," she said humbly. "We've toast on the table, or would you like me to boil and egg for you? Or I could do both-"
"Erm... I'm not that hungry Mrs. Weasley..."
"Oh yes you are," she snapped. "Now sit down this instant and eat!"
Harry sat down. She piled the plate in front of him with food. Toast, eggs, fruit, bacon...
"I'm not going to be able to eat all this..." he muttered.
"Goob," said Ron, his mouth already stuffed with about three pieces of toast.
"Them you won' mine 'f I 'av ib?"
Harry shook his head, and Ron took two pieces of toast from Harry's plate.
"Ronald Weasley!" Mrs. Weasley snapped. "That is disgusting! Not to mention horribly rude for poor Harry! He might of wanted those!"
"Don't worry, Mrs. Weasley," he mumbled. "Don't think I'll have any breakfast... not hungry..." He stood up from the table.
"SIT!"
He sat.
"EAT!"
He ate.
Fred and George entered. "Hello, all!" They cried in unison. Then they froze at the sight of Harry.
"What?" said Harry, quickly swallowing the egg Mrs. Weasley had previously stuffed in his mouth.
"You're... You're..." stuttered Fred.
"... You're hair, mate..." said George slowly. "I-It's... flat..."
Harry's mouth fell open. Slowly, he reached to the top of his head.
"My God..." he whispered. "So it is..."
"I think I need to sit down..." mumbled Fred, collapsing into a nearby chair.
"Oh, don't be so melodramatic," said Mrs. Weasley, rolling her eyes.
"It's probably just got passed the messy stage, that's all,"
Ron shook his head. "You don't understand, mum... Harry's hair has always been messy... never flat... I doubt that one random morning it would just... lie flat..."
There was a silence in the room.
"Right..." said Harry uneasily. "Well... I'll just... be... going... then..."
Casting a wary glance around the silent room, he left.
"Hey Harry!"
It was Remus.
"Hi, Professor,"
Remus gave a smile, but it was slightly strained.
"Call me Remus, Harry. I'm not a professor any more."
Harry smiled and nodded.
Remus suddenly chuckled and shook his head.
"Moody's more paranoid than usual," he said, "He caught this white tiger somewhere near here, saying it was a spy for Voldemort."
Harry's mouth fell open in disbelief.
"A white tiger?!" He said, "A spy for Voldemort?"
"That right, Potter," growled a voice from behind him. Harry spun around. It was Moody, and he was supporting an unconscious tiger over his right shoulder. Remus had been right, it was a white tiger, it was huge, and it was covered in ropes.
At that moment Mrs. Weasley, Fred, George, Hermione, Ron, Ginny and Rosie all came out of the kitchen.
"What's that?" Mrs. Weasley shrieked. "What's it doing in this house?"
"Professor Moody believes it's a spy for Voldemort." Said Harry dryly.
Fred snorted.
The tiger eyes snapped open, and she let out a low growl. Azorath squirmed nervously underneath his clothes.
Moody let it down onto the ground.
"Stop it, Professor..." Harry whispered. "I doubt Voldemort would send a white tiger to spy for him..."
"Then what's it doing in England, eh?" He growled. He kicked the tiger in the side.
"Stop hurting her..." Harry whispered.
"Don't go all animal rights on me, Potter." He said, rolling his normal eye, his magical eye staying fixed on the tiger.
Harry reached out to pet the tiger.
"Harry," said Remus in a warning tone.
Harry stroked her head. The tiger closed her eyes and she let out a low purr.
"She probably escaped from a zoo if she's not attacking us..."
Moody reached down to touch her as well, but as soon as his gnarled hands made contact with her silky fur, she stood up and roared, standing right in front of Harry.
"Don't think she likes you..." mumbled Harry, trying to keep the amusement from showing in his voice.
Someone knocked at the door. Tonks was there, as well as McGonagall and Snape, who both looked like they were at the end of their tether.
"Look what I bought!" cried Tonks, waving a muggle radio in the air. "They're selling them at Diagon Alley! They play muggle music an all! I just love muggle music!"
She faltered, looking at the scene before them. The Weasleys, Rosie and Remus were all standing in front of the kitchen, Harry was petting a giant tiger, whispering soothing words to her as the tiger closed her eyes and purred contentedly, and Moody was standing in front of the tiger with his wand out, ready to curse her into oblivion.
"What are you doing with a tiger?" Snape asked Harry, one brow raised.
"He -" said Harry, jabbing a thumb in Moody's direction. "- Found her and thought she was a spy for Voldemort -" Snape raised his eyebrow again at this. "- And he was hurting her so I stopped him." Said Harry, looking at Snape.
"And," Moody cut in. "And then I tried to pat her and the damn cat nearly bit my finger off!"
"That was because you were hurting her!" said Harry indignantly.
"You thought she was a spy for Voldemort?" inquired McGonagall.
"Well..." said Moody, gaining a pink tinge to his cheeks. "Since when do you see a tiger wandering around Britain, eh?"
"What on earth is going on here?" said Dumbledore, stepping into the hallway. Fawkes, who was perched on Dumbledore's shoulder, flew gracefully over to Harry, coming to a rest on his hand.
"Well... We'll just have to get rid of the tiger..." said Moody, raising his wand.
"NO!" cried Harry, wrapping his arms protectively around her. Azorath came out of his sleeve and hissed some rather rude words at Moody.
Tonks chuckled.
"A rather interesting group of pets you got there, Harry," she said, winking at him. "A tiger, a phoenix and a snake."
Harry grinned.
"The tiger just can't stay here," said Moody, stepping forward.
"Yes she can!"
"No she can't!"
"Yes she can!"
"No she-"
"Shut up," said McGonagall briskly. "We'll decide what to do with her. In the meantime, she can stay here."
Harry beamed.
A few people left, and as McGonagall was leaving Harry swore she muttered,
"I swear, this place is a mad house..."
Harry couldn't agree more.
"Oh, Harry," said Remus, "I've just gotta go get something, but can you wait here? I need to talk to you in a sec..."
Harry nodded, and Remus went up the stairs.
It was only him and Snape. Harry shuffled his feet nervously, and looked at the floor.
"Erm... thanks for the present professor... though I haven't had a chance to look at the memories yet..."
"That's... okay..." Snape seemed to be just as nervous as him.
Harry suddenly looked at him, and beamed.
"I see you kept our deal," said Harry happily, looking at Snape's now short hair. It looked very good on him. And it wasn't greasy.
"Yeah," He said, absently, touching his hair. "I kind of like it. But it's not half as menacing as it used to be. Took me ages to get that bloody reputation, and now you've just gone and ruined it."
Harry laughed.
"I see you've kept you're end of the deal," said Snape, eyeing his now flat hair.
"Yep!" said Harry, puffing out his chest proudly. "First time it's been flat in sixteen years! And I can see without my glasses now!"
Snape actually smiled. "I can see that..."
He looked a bit uneasy.
"It's not like I'm really you're professor in the holidays... so... how bout... You just call me Severus when we're alone?"
Harry nodded, then smiled. "And you call me Harry,"
"Sure..."
"Hey!"
Remus was back, and he was holding a key.
"The others are going to come down to watch. You going to come, Severus?"
Severus shrugged. "May as well,"
"Good! Harry, we decided that you can't always have you're wand... so, we're going to teach you hand-to-hand combat!" He grinned. "You okay with that?"
Harry grinned and nodded. "Okay, we found a room which will be perfect. Follow me,"
He led them into a room Harry had never been in just to the left of the kitchen. He led them to the left was of that room, got out his wand, tapped the wall three times, and it revealed a door.
Remus grinned at him and opened it, there was a flight of stairs going down.
Harry followed Remus down, and blinked when the light flared to life.
It had no windows, but was very bright. It had wooden flooring, and chairs along the far wall.
Moody, Kingsley, McGonagall, Snape, all his friends (including Rosie), Mrs. Weasley, Mr. Weasley all entered together and took a seat. The tiger, Harry presumed, had decided to stay upstairs.
"Harry, I want to test you on what you can do on reflex. Now, a hand-to- hand duel starts very much like a wizard duel..." explained Remus.
Harry suddenly felt extremely nervous.
"We bow..." said Remus slowly, lowering his back but keeping his eye on Harry the whole time, "And then... we duel."
AN: Hee hee! Does this count as a cliffhanger? Sorry not much happened in this chapter, but I needed to get a few things straight. Please review, hope you enjoyed!
***