Disclaimer: As always, Harry Potter is the property of J K Rowling.

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Trying To Live

By Willowcharm

Chapter 5: Alone and Miserable

The next day was a disaster. It started off well enough with another boring History of Magic lesson, but then came Potions class, which, it turned out, they had with the Gryffindors. Harry got to the classroom early and took a seat at one of the double desks. The rest of the class arrived soon after and paired up together until only one Gryffindor boy remained to be seated. Harry sighed to himself when he realised that the boy was still standing because the only seat remaining was beside himself.

'What are you waiting for? Sit!' The menacing voice of Professor Snape came from the classroom door. The red headed boy reluctantly took the place beside Harry. Then The teacher spoke again.

'Let me make this quite plain, Mr Weasley. When I enter this classroom I expect every student to be seated. Five points from Gryffindor. ' Draco Malfoy sniggered.

'Potter!' snapped Professor Snape. 'Tell me where I would find a bezoar. '

'The stomach of a goat , Sir.' replied Harry quietly, mentally thanking Remus for making him study his textbooks before school started.

'Correct.' The Slytherin head sounded almost disappointed that Harry had got it right. He carried on. 'Today you will be making a simple potion to cure boils. The instructions are on the blackboard and the ingredients in the cupboard. Begin.'

The potion was a simple enough one to make, although Neville Longbottom from Gryffindor Quickly managed to melt his cauldron. Harry's problem was that his partner Ron Weasley had no intention of cooperating with Harry and kept trying to put the wrong ingredients in. Eventually the inevitable happened and the contents of the cauldron exploded. Fortunately Harry had anticipated this and pulled Ron away so that they were untouched by the mixture.

'Twenty points from Gryffindor Mr Weasley and detention for you, Mr Potter. Now clean up that mess!' Harry knew then that his head of house was quite capable of favouring Slytherin and being unfair to him at the same time. Knowing that complaining would be worse than useless he cleaned up. By the time the mess was away the bell rang. Professor Snape dismissed the class after assigning a large amount of homework and ordering Harry to return to the classroom at six o' clock for his detention.

After Potions they were due to go down to the quidditch pitch for flying lessons. As it turned out, the Slytherins and Gryffindors were once again to share the class. On arriving at the grassy pitch they were met by a stockily built bossy teacher and a long row of broomsticks.

'Pathetic,' sneered Malfoy. 'These models were old when my father was a boy.'

Harry mentally agreed with this opinion, but said nothing, standing quietly beside a broomstick when Madam Hooch gave the order. As he expected the broomstick leapt into his hand when he said up!'. Just as he was about to follow the order to rise a few feet the clumsy Neville Longbottom shot up too far, fell off and crashed to the ground. Madam Hooch got him to his feet and led him away, warning everyone else to remain on the ground.

No sooner was the teacher out of sight than Malfoy pounced on a glass ball that Neville had dropped. Ron Weasley demanded it back, but Malfoy mounted his broomstick and flew fifty feet into the air . Not stopping to think, Harry followed.

'Give it back!' he demanded.

'You're a disgrace to your house, Potter,' was the reply. Without warning Malfoy raised his arm and threw the glass ball away. Harry shot after it, diving down and catching it just before it smashed into the ground. It was snatched from his hand immediately by Ron Weasley, who snarled,

'Gryffindors don't need help from slimy Slytherins!'

Harry turned away from Weasley only to find Professor Snape bearing down on him. He had a feeling nothing good was about to happen, and he was right.

'So, Mr Potter. Think the rules don't apply to you? Very well. You are banned from any flying whatsoever for the remainder of this year. Perhaps that will teach you to obey orders.' Harry waited in vain for a similar fate to befall Malfoy. The teacher merely told the class they were dismissed and strode away.

Harry's misery was heightened at teatime when from his lonely seat at the end of the table he overheard Malfoy telling his best friends Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle that Professor Snape had recommended him for the Slytherin quidditch team.

'He said I show a remarkable talent,' he was saying proudly. 'It's very rare for a first year to be chosen for his house team.'

Harry thought of all the times he had talked with his dad about getting onto the Gryffindor team. Now the prospect of ever playing quidditch at school seemed remote. No longer hungry, he left the table. He thought of writing home, but there was nothing that his father would be able to do to help and Harry didn't want to look weak by complaining so soon into the term. So he wandered the school until six o' clock when he returned to Snape's classroom to be ordered to scrub desks for three hours. By the time he was released Harry's right arm ached and he just wanted to go to bed and forget his troubles for a while.

The following morning Harry was the first to wake up in his dormitory. It was Saturday, and Harry had thought of a way to escape the taunts that seemed to follow him wherever he went. He dug out his father's cloak from his trunk and stashed it under his robe. Then he silently left the room and went down to the Great Hall for breakfast. After a hurried meal he decided to go and visit Hagrid. However, when he arrived at Hagrid's hut he heard voices and on further investigation found that Ron Weasley and a Gryffindor girl, Hermione Granger were inside.

'He had a cheek, trying to interfere,' Ron was saying. 'Serves him right that Snape banned him from flying.'

'Nah, Harry's a good sort.' Harry was pleased that Hagrid was standing up for him. 'And that Malfoy shouldna ha' got on the team. Now lets talk about summat else. Are you gonna cause me as much trouble as yer brothers Fred an' George, Ron?'

Harry turned away, disappointed that the one person he felt he could turn to at Hogwarts was unavailable. He made sure no one was around to see and slipped on his invisibility cloak. He re-entered the castle and was pleased to find he could walk around without having to listen to comments about how evil he must be to have been sorted into Slytherin. After several minutes he came across Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape.

'Really, Severus,' said the depute headmistress. 'Was it necessary to ban the boy from flying? And what about Malfoy? Surely he broke the rules just as much? Why should he be rewarded with a place on the team?'

'I am quite capable of disciplining my own students .' replied Snape smoothly. 'Mr Malfoy shows exceptional talent. It would be a crime to waste it.' And he stalked off in another direction.

'Yes, and it's a crime to treat poor little Harry the way you do.' muttered McGonagall as she too walked away, not realising that Harry himself had heard her. Harry wandered aimlessly for a while until he found himself up in the deserted owlery. He went over to the window and stood looking out. Although it was nice that McGonagall sympathised with him he hardly felt that he could approach her. Hagrid was busy making friends with other students and he, Harry, was left alone. So much for his dreams. Maybe if things didn't improve his dad would let him leave and be educated at home. At this point in his thoughts Harry was interrupted by the entrance of two boys into the owlery. Silently, Harry made his way into the far corner.

'If you ask me, Fred, Snape's done us a favour.' one of the boys was saying. 'Seamus said Potter was pretty amazing.'

'Yeah, George,' replied the other. 'And Malfoy's only a chaser. Potter would have been a seeker and since we don't have a decent one Slytherin would have been certain to trounce us with Potter on the team. Without him we've a chance.'

So these must be Weasley's brothers that Hagrid was talking about, thought Harry. They sounded quite nice, actually. Or maybe that was just because he was flattered by what they were saying. Not particularly bothered about eavesdropping, Harry listened in as they turned to other matters.

'So, do you think we've any chance of pulling it off?' asked Fred.

'Nah,' said George. 'There's no way we could do it and not risk being seen.'

'But risk makes it more fun.

'With any other teacher, perhaps. But Snape can get pretty nasty.'

Harry was getting extremely curious about what they were plotting, but Fred and George had evidently decided to abandon their plan and left the owlery. After a few minutes he also left, after removing his cloak, and returned to his now deserted dormitory. He felt more alone than ever now. Witnessing the camaraderie between the twins made him yearn more than ever for something of the same sort for himself. But here he was, only a few days into his school life and he was alone and miserable.

End of chapter. Aren't I nice to Harry? Perhaps things will improve, but then again, perhaps not. Don't forget to review.