Chapter 10

Detention

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Hedwig flew into the Great Hall and dropped a letter in front of Harry. Grabbing his glass before Hedwig knocked it over; he gave the owl a piece of bacon and excused himself from the table. He knew who the letter was from and he didn't want to open the letter infront of anyone else.

"Dear Harry,

I hope I find you well. In case this letter doesn't get to you I won't say too much, except everything is okay regarding our arrangements. Bring something nice, fed up of mice.

Snuffles"

Harry smiled, he was going to see Sirius the following Saturday, he made a mental note to go see Dobby later in the kitchens and arrange to take some extra food. Harry looked at his watch swore loudly when he saw the time and ran out of the common room towards the dungeon.

Everyone always prefers Friday to any other day of the week but to start the day with double potions never helped nor lifted the student's spirits.

"We are making a hair re-growth potion today" Snape began, "Of course some people in the class could do with a hair taming potion" he said looking at Harry.

Harry ran his hands through his hair and tried to pet it down but it bounced back exactly the same way.

"The ingredients are on the board; please write them down carefully I wouldn't want to see any of you in the hospital wing due to carelessness. Now Mr. Weasley what would happen if I added too much cows-slip instead of the required amount?"

Hermione's hand shot up and she started oohing as if she was in pain. Ron looked at his book blankly and muttered,

"I don't know Sir"

"Well, well, it seems Mr. Weasley doesn't know First Year potions never mind Fifth Year O.W.L level."

Ron's cheeks and ears turned red and he lowered his head even further to the desk.

"Maybe" Snape continued, "You should join your friend Mr. Potter in remedial potions. Ms. Granger please lower your hand I have no intention of asking you."

Harry's temper was rising, how dare Snape inform the class that he was taking remedial potions, when he wasn't and before he realised it his mouth was open.

"THAT'S NOT FAIR" he shouted, "YOU HAVE NO RIGHT, NO RIGHT RELEASING THAT SORT OF INFORMATION TO THE CLASS. FIRSTLY IT'S A COMPLETE LIE AND SECONDLY RON AND HERMIONE DON'T DESERVE TO BE TREATED THAT WAY."

He slammed his fist on the desk.

"Mr. Potter, you will refrain from shouting in my class. Your friends may accept your temperamental ways but I will not accept them in this class. Do I make myself clear? Fifty points from Gryffindor for your behaviour and you will serve detention here tonight at seven o'clock, and before you start shouting again nobody in this classroom believes you're not doing remedial lessons you most certainly need them. As for you Mr. Weasley ten points from Gryffindor for not knowing basic potions. You will hand in an essay tomorrow morning on the effects of cow-slips before nine o'clock, or there will be no Hogsmeade for you again while you are in this school. Furthermore, if I read one line that is Ms. Granger's work the both of you will be in very serious trouble. Understood"

"Yes Sir" the three of them answered together.

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Detention with Snape arrived sooner than Harry expected. He picked at his dinner and thought it better to leave early so he couldn't be late. Harry felt nervous not because it was detention with Snape but he was nervous of what Snape would see this time and Harry had the strength to force his teacher back out. He had tried most nights to clear his mind just like Snape had requested but he usually found that he had fallen asleep too soon or he just didn't remember. Out of a whole week Harry had remembered to clear his mind once. He swore to himself and reached Snape's classroom.

"Enter" Snape's voice came from behind the door.

Harry walked into the room and placed his school bag down beside one of the desks. He wasn't sure if he was meant to sit down or remain standing so he leaned back against the desk and waited. Snape was bent over an essay that he was correcting, his hair falling like a curtain around his face.

"Sit" he said to Harry not looking up from his desk. "For once you are early and I will deal with you in a few minutes."

Gently Harry moved the seat from behind the desk he was leaning on and he sat down. He could feel Snape watching him even though his head was down and his nose was nearly touching the parchment infront of him.

"If he can't see the page then he should get glasses" Harry thought to himself and tried not to laugh. "What does he want me to do, am I meant to just sit and wait until he decides he's ready?"

Harry could feel his temper rising.

"Relax" he told himself, "You'll never be able to focus on Occlumency if you're already worked up and anyway he doesn't need to see images of himself and then know what you think about him."

Harry started to swing his leg back and forth under the desk; boredom was kicking in far too quickly. He started to examine a scratch that was on the desk.

"You know this would be a good time for you to practice clearing your mind Mr. Potter, instead of examining the desk. Obviously you are incapable of using your own initiative."

Snape rose from his desk and resting the palms of his hands on Harry's desk he said,

"I hope you have been clearing your mind every night as I requested and I hope you will be better than last week. Before we start with tonight's lesson would you please explain your behaviour in my class earlier today?"

"My behaviour?" Harry spat, "You told the class lies about me and even if it had been true that was confidential"

A grin appeared on Snape's face.

"Nice little speech, so true, so Gryffindor!" he said his tone changing, "Wand out let's start, I do have other things to do this evening Potter."

The chair scraped the floor as Harry pushed it back, he was determined to prove Snape wrong, determined to show his "favourite" teacher that he was better than what Snape thought. He was determined not to spend the next hour on the floor where he had just found himself once more. Harry had been so busy talking to himself he didn't hear or see Snape attack. Furious with himself Harry stood up, this time ready for action and like before Snape attacked.

The images started to appear once more, varying from Mrs. Weasley's hugs to Sirius hugging him.

"Potter!" Snape roared, "You haven't been practising, when will you take this seriously? The Dark Lord wont wait for you to catch up, if he takes control of your mind, Merlin knows what he will do. Get up off the floor and try again."

Once more Harry took his position, wand at the ready and taking a deep breath he waited for the attack. He could feel his heartbeat getting faster. This time the images were different he was running to save Ginny in the Chamber of Secrets, he was fighting Voldermort for the Philosopher's Stone, Wormtail escaping and then Harry saw the graveyard.

Beads of sweat were forming on Harry's forehead, he thought his heart was going to explode it was beating so fast. He saw Wormtail cut his arm with the knife, Harry held on to his wand but didn't raise it. He felt a surge of raw magic wanting to get out. The same magic used when Aunt Marge was blown up. The lights in the classroom flickered; Harry's hair swept back as if someone had turned a fan on in the room. The magic inside of him reached a climax and with a scream he released his raw magic. He felt Snape leave his mind immediately and he heard a bang.

Harry opened his eyes, the lights stopped flickering and the room returned to normal, but he wondered what the bang was. He looked at the back wall and saw on the floor Professor Snape lying on his back unconscious.

"Bloody hell" Harry said running over to his teacher, had he done this? Did he just throw his teacher up against the wall without realising it or was this just the effect of being forced out. He lifted Snape's head,

"Professor Snape, can you hear me, Professor Snape?"

He heard a groan and slowly his Professor opened his eyes. He looked at Harry and quickly regained his composure. He stood up but lost his balance slightly and had to use the wall to steady himself. When Snape was ready he walked over to his desk and sat down. It was only then he spoke,

"Would you please explain to me what you just did?"

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Back in the common room later that evening Harry retold his two friends what happened during detention. He then went on to saying that he had to explain to Dumbledore what happened. Dumbledore listened attentively and appropriately. The twinkle in his blue eyes never fading as both Harry and Snape talked. He then sent Snape to the hospital wing to make sure Snape was okay and he sent Harry to bed.

As Harry finished his story he yawned and he realised how tired and drained he felt. He stood up from the couch and suddenly felt dizzy and light headed.

"Whoa" he said falling back down on to the couch. "I think I got up a little too fast there"

Hermione got him a glass of water and with a concerned look on her face she asked Harry if he was alright.

"I feel a little funny" he said handing the glass to Ron.

He removed his glasses and placed his head into hands; shaking his head he mumbled something but Ron and Hermione couldn't hear him.

"You need to rest Harry" Hermione said, "Using wandless magic is very hard and draining, your body needs rest now. Ron will you help him up, he doesn't look too good."

"Sure" Ron replied, "Come on mate, you'll feel a hundred times better in the morning. You just got a bit too excited earlier on and left your emotions get the better of you."

Ron put his arm around Harry's waist and taking most of his friend's weight he helped Harry to bed.

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Down a corridor in one of the abandoned classrooms on the third floor a secret meeting was being held. Through one of the old fireplaces Draco Malfoy was talking to his father.

"Draco, this better be worth it, if you have disturbed me for another one of your stupid reasons"

Draco interrupted him, "You will enjoy this I promise father. I have someone here who wants to make you a deal, by handing over Potter to our Lord."

An evil laugh rose from Lucius's throat as he stepped out of the fireplace.

"Well Draco, what are you waiting for? Let me meet the person who is going to bring down the mighty Potter. I hope he is everything you say he is."

"Oh she is" Draco replied

"She!" Lucius repeated arching his left eyebrow

"Yes she" a voice came from a dark corner of the classroom.

Coming into the light she walked up to Malfoy Senior and raised her hand.

"Cho Chang" she said, "I'm very pleased to meet you Mr. Malfoy."

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End of chapter