Disclaimer: Nope still not JK Rowling... Harry is not mine!

Chapter Five. Not Over Until the Fat Lady Sings

Harry woke, the next morning with a massive headache. The Gryffindor common room had been a shambles after Dumbledore's announcement.

Harry remembered Snape's oily sneer as Dumbledore continued his speech. "The job of Defence Against the Dark Arts goes to Hogwarts very own Professor S. Snape…"

The reaction at the Gryffindor's table was far from deliriously happy. Harry and Ron had groaned in unison, Hermione's jaw was on the table, Neville whimpered and Dean Thomas said, "Not that oily git!" so that only the Gryffindor's could hear him.

The Gryffindor's outrage was echoed across the Great Hall. However on the other side of the Great Hall the Slytherin's were silently cheering and glaring at each other with unsuppressed excitement.

Dumbledore raised his hand and absolute silence rippled through the students. "I am sure, that Professor Snape's extensive knowledge; will be helpful among the student population…"

Harry was certain that Snape had fixed him with a pointed stare as Dumbledore continued. Just to check Harry looked behind him then back at Snape, who was still staring at him.

Harry dared not say anything to the other Gryffindors while Snape was staring at him, but as soon as Snape glanced away Harry hissed to Hermione, "What was Snape thinking staring at me like that?"
Hermione had shrugged and she too looked up at the teacher's table.

Snape had leant over the table and was having a frantic whispered conversation with Professor Spalding. Harry tried not to look, but they chose that moment to pause and glimpse in his direction.

Harry had forced himself to look away and at the plates of scrumptious food that awaited him. He piled his plate and dug in eagerly…

Harry lifted his head from the pillow with a soft moan and collapsed once more into his blankets.
"Harry…we should be at breakfast…" Ron growled into his ear. "Get out of bed."

Harry gazed at his best friend menacingly and slipped from under the covers. Without caring how his uniform sat on him Harry dressed hurriedly and jumped most of the stairs to land in the Gryffindor common room only to see that most of the Gryffindors were already gone…

"Finally," Hermione breathed as she saw Harry descend the stair groggily.
"About time," Ron murmured. Harry didn't have anything to say in reply, he resolutely slumped past them and stumbled out of the common room.

"I wonder what classes we have today," Hermione said to herself eagerly as they made their way down to the Great Hall. Neither Harry nor Ron answered. They were both thinking the same thing. 'I hope it isn't defence against the dark arts…'

Hermione reached the Gryffindor table first and sat, practically bouncing in her enthusiasm as the timetables were being past down the table. She pulled out hers, Ron's and Harry's and gave the boys their respective timetables.

"What!" Ron cried, "Double potions in the morning…"
"Followed by Double defence against the darks arts in the afternoon," Harry continued with a groan, "What did I do to deserve this?"
Harry slapped his timetable down on the table. "My life," he said solemnly, "is over…"
Hermione rolled her eyes at Harry's dramatics. "Honestly…"

Harry wasn't listening to Hermione's rebukes. He had noticed something really odd on his timetable. "I've still got divination with Trewlawny…"
"Didn't you do erm… not-so-well in divination?" Ron asked. Harry nodded.

"No one particularly did well in divination," Hermione said knowingly, "Frienze is taking the students with promise," Hermione sent a commiserating look at Harry, "And Trewlawny is taking those with – difficulties."

Harry and Ron exchanged worried glances. "How does she do that?" Ron remarked.
Harry shrugged and sighed, "My life is over…"

The first class for the morning was double potions, and like the rest of the class Harry, Hermione and Ron went early, just in case the potions mistress was a nutter about being on time.

Harry shuffled his books and looked drearily at the Slytherin who were joining them. For some reason he had butterflies forming in his stomach.

"Hey look," A Slytherin jeered, the small crowd parted revealing a particularly malevolent Malfoy, "Potty and his friends… still in potions eh? Remedial lessons helped poor Potty."
"Shove off, Malfoy," Potter replied lazily.

Harry wasn't in the mood for a verbal slinging match with his nemesis.
Malfoy looked a little bit put out by Harry's reply and so he continued, "Watching 'ol puppy dog die tamed wittle Harry."

Harry felt his cheeks burn with indignation and anger. Before he knew what he was doing, Harry balled his fists and replied tersely, "Shut your mouth ferret breath or I'll shut it for you."
"Ooooo." Malfoy glanced about the Slytherin's for support, which the obligingly did by mocking Harry, "That upset Potty…"

Taking a deep breath, Harry remembered where he was and turned to enter the classroom he did not want to be trouble with the new professor for the very first lesson. Malfoy on the other hand was not so smart.

Grabbing Harry's robe Malfoy shoved Harry against the wall. Caught off guard Harry bounced of the wall and landed in a heap, scattering his books all over the floor. "Don't you dare turn you back on me you nasty little half-blood."

Harry's face burned in righteous fury and embarrassment. He slowly stood, dusted himself off pretending that he wasn't hurt and pushed past Malfoy to pick his books up. Which ended up in frustration as the Slytherin's kept kicking them down the hall.

Harry whipped out his wand… "Accio…" and his books came zooming to him in a neat pile in his arms. (But Harry made sure one of the books hit Malfoy in the back of the head as it came zooming towards him).

Then as if nothing interesting happened, Harry stepped into the classroom serenely and took a seat. Only to look up and see that the professor was already in the room and they both locked eyes in surprise by each other's presence.

Malfoy however charged in mad as a bull, and not seeing the professor pushed Harry to the ground along with his chair.

Because Harry had been staring dumbly at the professor he barely noticed Malfoy's entrance and found himself lying on the floor looking up at the roof.

If only Slytherin had not forbidden him to use his force against unsuspecting rivals until he had practised to perfection!

"Half-blood trash…" Malfoy leered over Harry but his eyes caught something that was around Harry's neck….

Malfoy reached out a hand to take the amulet and Harry dazed from banging his head solidly on the stone floor was too slow to stop him.

"Ouch…" Malfoy pulled his hand back in shock, shaking it furiously as if he had been burned. Harry noticed with some satisfaction that ugly welts were already forming on Malfoy's hand.

"That should teach you not to lay hands on another student," A stern voice said from behind. Harry's satisfaction soared as he saw Professor Spalding looking over him and Malfoy's look of dread.

"Harry…" Hermione and Ron burst through the doors at that moment. Hermione was holding a particularly tattered copy of 'Aurors in Training' by Sigfried Banebridge, "I rescued your book…"
Harry's two best friends stopped horrified at the scene.

Harry deciding that he should try and stand; wobbled to his feet, rubbing his head with his hand. "Thanks Hermione," he said looking past Malfoy as if he was a glass window.

"I've never seen such a cowardly attack in all my life of teaching!" Professor Spalding decided it was time to start shrieking. Harry winced as the sound painfully reached his ears.

"A hundred points off Slytherin!" Malfoy was gobsmacked by this news but Harry was triumphant. A whole one hundred points…

"You have a detention with me, and believe me boy they are not fun!"

Harry groped for a chair to sit down and watch this entertainment. Spalding turned abruptly on her heel to her desk and pulled out two pieces of parchment and scribbled down two furious notes.

She handed one to Malfoy and the other to Harry. Harry took his bit of parchment with trepidation and Malfoy was muttering something about 'his father….' (Harry wondered for the first time if Malfoy knew what happened to his father…)

"You to the headmaster's office," Spalding demanded glaring at Malfoy, quite forgetting to give him a password (Harry most certainly wasn't going to reminder her)… "AND YOU…" Harry winced, the professor checked her voice and added more softly. "Off to the hospital wing…go…"

Harry lumbered out of the room taking as long as possible so to give the furious Malfoy a head start.

Harry (indeed the whole school) heard what had happened in the headmaster's office before lunch. Professor Spalding had kicked Malfoy out of potions… she was refusing to teach him! This had Harry worried, was she going to refuse to teach him too?

Harry was just in time to stagger into defence against the dark arts class just moment before Snape. He took a seat beside Ron and Hermione (who past him his poor injured book). Harry turned his head slightly to glare at Malfoy who was resolutely staring forward.

"Welcome, all," Snape started icily, in a rather unwelcoming tone of voice and stared pointedly at Harry who was still enjoying himself by glaring at Malfoy, "to defence against the dark arts…" Snape's eyes slipped from Harry's face to his crumpled book on his desk.

With brisk strides he approached Harry's desk, but Harry refused to flinch. "What may I pray ask." Snape gingerly picked up Harry's book as if it was a dead rat. "is this?"
"A book," Harry replied sending daggers at a sniggering Malfoy, "That the Slytherins thought rearranging would be amusing…"

Snape stared at him apparently surprised. He had been too busy on his first day to hear what had happened in the first class. Not wanting to be shown up Snape turned on his heel with a mutter of, "You'll have to repair it Potter."
"Yes professor…"

Snape cleared his throat and started a long and rather boring speech about his class, which everyone had heard before. "Everyone is to read pages 12 – 45 from the text 'Conduct' go…"

Harry opened his book as he heard the ruffling of pages and half his book fell limply to the floor. He sighed bent over with a wince and picked it up and found the pages to start reading…

Plonk!

Harry started from his book suddenly… turning his head sideways he saw that Hermione was nearly finished the reading and he was only halfway through…

Plonk!

Something small and round landed on his page.

Plonk!

Another. Harry glanced around the classroom.

Plonk!

Malfoy was grinning up from his book.

'Just ignore it Harry…ignore it…' Hermione and Ron were also looking up by this stage. Harry bent his head back over his book.

Plonk!

Harry was starting to grit his teeth in agitation.

Plonk!

'That's it if he throws another….'

PLONK!

Harry picked up the bean and pegged it at Malfoy. Malfoy yelped as it hit him square in the forehead. Snape chose that moment to look about his almost silent class…

"Potter…" Harry felt his stomach constrict with a sudden dread.

Snape moved away from his teacher's desk and moved towards Harry's desk. He had intended to lean forward but stopped when he saw beans scattered about Harry. Not as stupid as he looked, Snape looked about the class and saw Malfoy grinning…

"Ignore him… or you will be getting yourself into plenty of trouble in my classes…" Snape hissed in Harry's ear. Harry glanced up at Snape in surprise.

"Twenty points from Gryffindor and Potter…pick up those beans…" Harry slid from his chair and in embarrassment picked up all the little beans from the floor. How he would love to dump them on Malfoy's desk…

"And Potter… I want to see a scroll on my desk tomorrow morning about Conduct and what you did wrong according to Banebridge's text…."

"Twenty points… he took off twenty points for throwing a bean at Malfoy," Ron cried in indignation.
"At least it wasn't one hundred, like Spalding took off Malfoy this morning…" Hermione said practically.
"Yeah, but the stupid git deserved that…!" Ron protested.
"Harry shouldn't have been throwing stuff in the classroom," Hermione replied simply looking apologetically at Harry. Harry was hardly listening. It had been a very trying first day of school.
"Malfoy was too…" Ron continued heatedly.
"Yes but Harry was the one that got caught…"

"That's it!" Harry cried suddenly waking himself from his stupor. "My life is over – I'm going to fail defence against the dark arts and potions!"
Hermione rolled her eyes, "Don't be so dramatic Harry."
"Yeah, you know what muggles say…"
Harry shook his head grimly.
"It's not over until the fat lady sings."

As if on cue some strange high pitch noise flooded the stair well. All the portraits around them were blocking their ears in disgust.

"What is that god damn awful sound…?" Ron asked. As they reached the common room the answer was all too clear.

The Fat Lady was singing…