Tiger & Dragon
By loverstouch
Disclaimer: All the characters belong to J.K Rowling. The story is based on Rowling's work, but the plot of 'Tiger & Dragon' comes from my own sick brain.
Summary: In the summer after his fifth year Harry is taken from the Dursleys to live with the Malfoys. The next day the Daily Prophet's headline read 'Boy Who Lived Died In Death Eater Attack' …
Rating: R
This is my first "Slash" fanfiction and the first fic I have published at all, so please go easy on me.
The story begins in the summer after Harry's fifth year, which means yes; it is post OoTP, but has nothing to do with HBP.
I'd like to thank Draeconin for being the beta for my story. I'm really grateful for your help.
Hope you enjoy it!
Chapter 19 – Crying over spilt Potions
Tiger woke up bright and early the next morning. He sat up carefully, and looked down at the blond beauty in whose arms he had been lying recently. Ever since Lucius had put the spell on them which had forced the two to stay close together, Tiger and Draco had spent every night together in one bed. First it was because of their failed cheering potion, where they had fallen asleep in Draco's bed together, and a few late night talks where Tiger had been too tired to return to his own room. Later, there wasn't even a minute where Tiger considered sleeping in his own bed. He felt safe in Draco's arms, and he liked the feeling of the other boy nuzzled close to him. Besides, he loved to make Draco squirm and run into the bathroom first thing every morning after he had snuggled closer to him, resting his head on the blonde's stomach, facing his groin, arms and legs wrapped around Draco's waist and legs.
But not today. No. Today he woke up an hour before everyone else, to prepare his little revenge for Draco's betrayal. He gave the blond one last look, and then he crawled carefully out of Draco's bed. It was always the blonde's bed where the two slept, so Tiger had lain down on Draco's bed last night automatically.
Draco had watched him, a little unsure whether he should join him, or sleep with Spike in the other bed, which the kitten had claimed as his the moment he saw it. ('Perhaps he just doesn't know which one is his bed'). But then Tiger had smiled at him, and petted the spot next to him. Returning the smile, Draco had crawled under the blanket and cuddled close to Tiger, his head resting on the other boy's chest. The last he remembered before he fell asleep, was Tiger whispering, "Don't think just because you're lying in my arms means that you are forgiven." With a slightly panicked feeling the blond drifted of into dreamland.
Tiger stood up and silently walked out of the dorm, reflexively grabbing his wand on the way. He went down the corridor leading to the common room, and was about to enter when he heard two whispering voices.
"Are you sure this will work? I doubt that we could say the spell and pretend to be in a conversation at the same time. We have to concentrate for the spell to work. What if someone listens to what we say and then hear us saying 'accelero' all of a sudden?"
'Accelero? Never heard of such a spell,' Tiger thought.
"Don't worry, Cas, as long as we manage to sneak the frog on that third year's plate who treated us like babies yesterday, there will be so much turmoil that no one will hear what we say. Oh, and by the way; it's 'accelera', not 'accelero'."
'Accelera? Wonder what they're up to now?' Tiger waited a moment longer before he entered the common room rubbing his eyes and pretending to be still half asleep. When he put his hands down, he looked at the twins as though surprised.
"Morning, you two. Why are you up so early?"
"Couldn't sleep," Castor said.
"Had to use the loo," Pollox said at the same time, then hastily added, "After that I wasn't tired anymore."
Tiger smiled and sat down beside the twins, ignoring their attempts to hide several parchments.
"Why are you up so early?" Pollox asked him.
"You don't look like you got a good night's sleep," Castor finished, and the two looked him up and down. Tiger looked down at himself, and noticed for the first time that he was still only wearing his boxers.
"Oh." He smiled sheepishly. "Lucky me that Snape isn't around. I'm sure this would earn me at least one more hour detention."
"Say, you don't intend to take all fifty-nine detentions, do you?"
"Because we had planned to get the most detentions this year."
"You aren't planning any pranks already, are you?" Tiger asked naïvely.
The twins shook their heads innocently.
"Because if you are, you should know that being a good prankster doesn't mean getting the most detentions, but playing good pranks without hurting anybody, and without getting caught." He stood up and walked back to the corridor leading to the boy's dormitories. At the entrance, he turned once again. "Oh, and by the way - 'celer' is far easier to cast than 'accelera' but still as effective." He made a quick gesture with his wand, and said the spell. He smirked when he saw the twins looking stunned after the frog, which the twins had planned to use as distraction. It was jumping like mad around the room, almost faster than they could watch.
"Hey, make it stop!" Pollox cried after Tiger, who vanished through the corridors with the words, "You've got forty-five minutes left before the first students wake up."
Smiling, Tiger walked down the corridor to the sixth year boy's dormitory. 'Now I don't even have to ask the twins for a little distraction for Blaise to spice Draco's tea. Talking about Blaise, it's time for him to wake up, I think.' Silently Tiger entered the dorm room, and walked over to Blaise' bed. He pulled the curtains open for him to enter, and then closed them again behind him. Slowly he sat down on the edge of the bed, and watched Blaise sleep. The dark haired Slytherin was obviously having an erotic dream. He was all sweaty, and mumbling in his sleep. And, of course, the bulge under the blanket was a good giveaway for his stage of arousal. Tiger thought for a moment whether he should leave, but then he heard Blaise pleading.
"Please, Tiger; let me come, please."
Tiger raised an eyebrow and looked at Blaise, surprised. Smirking, he leaned down and whispered in his ear.
"Come for me, my sweetie."
Moaning, Blaise arched up and opened his eyes. For a moment he rode out his orgasm, then he noticed Tiger, and stopped dead.
"Fuck, Tiger, what are you doing here?"
"Counter-question: What am I doing in your dreams?" he asked, interested.
"God." Blaise buried his head in his hands, and mumbled something about embarrassing and never hearing the end of it, before a hand on his shoulder made him look up. Tiger was looking a bit uneasily at him now, but before he could say anything, Blaise spoke.
"Why are you here? There isn't a chance that you wanted to participate, is there?" he asked sheepishly, the embarrassing situation forgotten when he saw Tiger's state of near nakedness.
"Sorry, sweetie." Tiger reached out and stroked Blaise cheek softly. "You're really a great guy, but I prefer blondes; or one particular blond, that is."
"Pity," Blaise said, and leaned forward. "Because I think we could have a lot of fun together, just you and me." He placed a hand on Tiger's chest and let it wander up and down. Their faces were mere inches apart from one another. Blaise closed the distance between them, and their lips met. Neither of them moved, Blaise giving Tiger the opportunity to back away, and Tiger too stunned to do anything. The moment Blaise went to deepen the kiss, he felt Tiger's lips move and form the word 'no'. He kept his lips on Tiger's a few more seconds, then moved back and looked at the other boy, who kept his eyes down.
"Sorry," Tiger mumbled, and went to stand up, but Blaise held him back.
"Stay. I knew I hadn't a chance, but look at yourself: can you blame me?" He looked Tiger up and down, and smiled at him. "You've got a really sexy arse."
Tiger blushed and averted his eyes before he put on a seductive smile, and with a glint in his eyes, looked back at the other boy.
"You know, I think we could really have a lot of fun together," Tiger insinuated. He crawled closer to Blaise, who backed away a bit at Tiger's sudden reaction. Straddling Blaise, Tiger lowered his head to Blaise' ear and whispered, "But I don't think that you're capable of handling me." Blaise wanted to say something, but a little shift in position from Tiger made this impossible. "Just look at Draco during the next few days, and you'll be grateful that it isn't you whom I'm having fun with."
He pushed his groin a bit into Blaise' and felt the other boy's growing erection. Blaise moaned when he felt Tiger's lips at his ear. "I would make you beg and plead, and in the end I still wouldn't satisfy you." Now he nibbled lightly at Blaise' earlobe, which was too much for the boy.
"God, Tiger, please."
And that was what Tiger had been waiting for. He sat up and got up from Blaise, who whimpered in frustration.
"Do you really want that to happen all the time?" Tiger smirked at him.
"Damn, Tiger; you're really cruel."
"Thank you. Now that I have your attention, I need your help."
And for the next ten minutes, Tiger told the other boy about his plan; how he wanted to pay Draco back for telling Snape about the bet. Blaise' part in the plan was just to put a potion in Draco's tea without him noticing, and to make sure that the blond drinks it.
"And you're sure that the twins will help you against their cousin?" Blaise asked, after Tiger had finished.
"Those two don't know about my plan. I wanted to ask them for a little distraction, but I overheard them talking about a prank they're going to pull, which would be distraction enough."
"And their plan will work?"
"I have seen to it that it will work."
"So-" Blaise wanted to ask another question, but the two heard someone wake up in the room.
"I'll give you the potion when Draco is in the bathroom," Tiger whispered before he crawled out of Blaise' bed to go back to Draco's.
He laid back down beside Draco, his head resting on the blonde's stomach, arms and legs wrapped around Draco's waist and leg, just before he heard the first curtains being opened, and Crabbe and Goyle started animatedly talking about breakfast. He closed his eyes and was about to fall back asleep, when he noticed the first parts of Draco wake up under his soft stroking of the blonde's inner thigh.
It didn't take long before Tiger was lying alone on the bed, and Draco had rushed of into the bathroom.
The moment Draco left the dormitory, Blaise came over to Tiger, who gave him the potion for the blonde's tea. After that, Tiger turned around, and was once again about to fall asleep, when...
"Wake up, sleepyhead."
"Hm?" Tiger opened one eye carefully to look for who woke him up, and found Draco smiling down at him.
"Come on, Tiger; time to wake up. You don't want to be late on your first day at school, now do you?"
"Go 'way," Tiger mumbled sleepily, and pulled the blanket over his head.
"Oh, no, you don't." Draco pulled the blanket down and pulled Tiger in a sitting position. "Get up. Go shower and get dressed. You have ten minutes before I leave without you."
"See you at breakfast, then," Tiger said, and lay back down.
"If you fall back asleep…"
"Then I'll dream of you." Tiger smiled, with his eyes closed.
"I'll wait in the common room." Shaking his head, Draco grabbed his book bag and left the dormitory.
The moment the door closed, Tiger jumped out of the bed and began to rummage through his trunk. Earlier this morning he had only found the potion he had given Blaise without making too much noise. Now he was searching for the second part for his plan.
"Ah, there you are," he said after a few minutes. His head emerged back out of his trunk, and he held a small spray can in his hand which had the emblem of 'Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes' on it. It was a present from the Weasley twins at the end of last year. They had sent it to him two days after he was back at the Dursleys, with a note which simply said 'So you can see things through.'
Tiger had tried it once at the Dursleys. He had taken a sip from the potion and had sprayed the other one on the wall between his and Dudley's rooms. What he saw made him choke and run out of the room. Obviously Dudley had had a date with his right hand. Tiger refused to go back to his room until late that night, because the potion lasted twelve hours.
Tiger put the can on the bedside table, and then went to the wardrobe to choose something to wear. When he had found something he liked, he laid it out on the bed, and took the spray can again. He thought for a moment before he went to work, and prepared his clothes for his little private show.
When he heard voices in the corridor, he hid the can in his trunk, grabbed his wash things and his clothes, and run to the bathroom. He was under the shower when he heard Draco call for him.
"Are you coming, Tiger?"
"You wish," he shouted back and smirked, imagining the blush on Draco's cheeks.
"We're leaving without you if you're not ready in two minutes."
"Just go ahead; I need a little longer," Tiger replied, a little calmer after he had switched off the shower.
"You just want to have your big entrance, do you?"
"What can I say?" The door opened, and a naked Tiger greeted Draco. "I love to be looked at." He smiled, and reached out to close Draco's mouth, which had fallen wide open from the sight in front of him.
"Don't act as if you're seeing this for the first time," Tiger teased. He stopped and gave Draco a moment to look back up at him, after his gaze wandered all over him. When the blond was looking at him again, he added, "And who knows? Maybe you'll see a lot more of this sooner than you think."
Tiger smirked mischievously, which shook Draco out of his dazed stare.
"What are you planning now?" the blond asked distrustfully.
"For the moment? To get clothed and go to breakfast. What about you?" Tiger smiled innocently at Draco, who wanted to reply, but at that moment the door opened, and Blaise came in.
"Are you… Good god, my poor heart! If you don't stop pounding so hard, I'll die on the spot."
"Blaise," Draco said, irritated with his friend staring at his boyfriend.
No answer.
"Blaise!"
The dark haired boy brought his gaze from Tiger's body, and looked at Draco. "Sod off." Draco growled at his best friend.
"And you can go with him, Draco, because like I said, I'll need a bit longer." Tiger gave Draco a little push in Blaise' direction, and vanished into the bathroom.
-------
Everybody was already in the Great Hall when Tiger entered. The moment he closed the door behind him, the room fell silent. A few gasps were heard, and there was some whispering about his clothes, just like last night, but most of them were just staring at what, exactly, he was wearing. He was clad in tight, low hanging, faded blue jeans, and a blood red t-shirt which ended close over the waistband of his jeans, so that one could see his stomach with every move.
Slowly he made his way over to the Slytherin table, feigning ignorance of all the stares directed at him. He sat down across from Draco and Blaise, and poured himself a cup of tea before looking up and smiling at his surroundings.
"Morning."
Tiger took a sip of his tea, and noticed out of the corner of his eye that Pollox and Caster were preparing for their prank. They were talking animatedly, and gesticulating madly with their hands. If one didn't know that they were up to something, one wouldn't know that what happened next was their doing. One moment they were discussing their sorting, and in the next there was a panicked scream, and a shuffling a few seats away from them.
Tiger didn't pay attention to the tumult and grabbed a piece of toast, watching as the first part of his own plan succeeded.
At the first screech, everyone had turned to the poor third year, and Blaise had managed to put the potion into Draco's tea. Then when everything seemed back to normal, Draco turned back to his plate and looked at Tiger. The dark haired youth smiled at him, and raised his cup to his lips, inwardly cheering when Draco grabbed his own tea and took a sip. Immediately, the blonde's expression changed to one of suspicion.
"What did you put into the tea?" he asked the innocent looking boy in front of him.
"Why, what are you thinking of me? How could you say that I would spice your tea?"
"I know you're not that bad a liar, so you wanted me to know that it was your doing. Tell me, Tiger, what-"
Draco never had the chance to end the sentence, because once again there was a deafening screech, followed by countless others, and a lot of chairs shuffling. Half the hall jumped on their chairs and looked down at the ground frantically, searching for whatever had caused the turmoil. Hundred of slimy traces ran all over the floor, left by five inch long slugs which crawled faster than one could see. Within seconds they were on the tables, and nibbling at everything they could reach.
Swallowing the last of his toast and the rest of his tea, Tiger stood up and, smiling at the blond, he left the Great Hall. He smiled at himself when he heard Draco gasp, behind him.
On his way to the door, Tiger stopped at the twins. Leaning down to speak to them, he positioned himself so that his bottom was directed at where Draco was sitting, legs spread slightly.
"Speak a quick spell to conceal what you've done. Your last spell can be traced back."
"Thanks." The twins smiled at him.
Before he went on, Tiger glanced one last time at Draco, who was watching him open-mouthed.
-------
Tiger was already seated for his first class when all the other Slytherin sixth years entered the room, followed shortly by a select group of Gryffindors, Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs. Tiger wondered briefly how Crabbe and Goyle had managed to be accepted for advanced Potions, before a whispering voice interrupted his thoughts.
"I swear you're going to kill me one day."
Smiling, Tiger turned to Draco, who had sat down beside him, exposing himself in the process again.
"God," Draco breathed, and looked around frantically to see whether anybody else could see what he did.
"Don't worry, Dragon," Tiger whispered in his ear, "this little show is exclusively for you." He stroked his hand provocatively up and down his inner thigh, stopping just under the crotch of his pants, and drawing Draco's attention once again to that spot.
The blond bit his upper lip hard to prevent a moan from escaping while he watched Tiger caressing his seemingly naked thigh. His eyes wandered up, following Tiger's hand to his stomach, where he drew a few circles around his exposed belly button.
The fast shuffling of chairs and the dying of the conversations around them made the two boys look up just in time to see Professor Snape seating himself behind his desk. Turning to the front, Tiger and Draco listened to Snape reading the attendance list.
"Abbott," Snape read, not looking up.
"Here," Hannah replied shyly, not knowing whether the Potions Master really wanted an answer. When he continued reading names, the young Hufflepuff let out a breath she hadn't known she had been holding.
"Boot."
"Here," The Ravenclaw said, a bit more self-confidently than Hannah had been.
"Bulstrode."
"Yes."
"Finnigan."
"Here."
"Goldstein."
"Here."
"Granger."
"Yes, sir."
"MacMillan."
"Here, Professor."
"Malfoy."
"Here for you, sir."
Snape stopped a moment to glare at Draco before he continued.
"Nott."
"Here."
"Parkinson."
"Yes."
"Ryan."
"I'm all yours." Tiger smiled at the professor when the man looked up from his list. He glared at the teen before he called out the last name on his list.
"Zabini."
"Here."
Slowly, Snape stood up and looked over his advanced Potions class. His gaze landed on two boys whose names weren't on his list.
"Mr. Crabbe, Mr. Goyle - would you please be so kind as to tell me what exactly you two are doing in my advanced class?"
The two boys looked at each other, and then their gaze fell on Draco as if the blond would know what they are doing there.
"I'm waiting," Snape said, annoyed.
"We followed Draco," Goyle said, as if it was the most evident reason.
"We always follow Draco," Crabbe added, plainly.
Snape looked questioningly at his godson, who just shrugged, indicating his innocence.
"Mr. Malfoy?"
"Believe me, sir, I wouldn't dream of telling those two to attend advanced potions. I'm glad that Longbottom isn't with us anymore. I don't need them to replace him."
"Well, I don't want to lose more time on you two," Snape said to Crabbe and Goyle. "Would you please be so kind, and leave my classroom immediately."
"But- but, Draco," Crabbe babbled, searching Draco's eyes.
"Where should we go?" Goyle added, also looking at the blond.
"Oh, for god's sake," Draco exploded. "Just look at your schedule and try, for once, to do something without me holding your hands."
The two bulky boys took out their schedules, studied them for a few minutes, and then looked at each other. They smiled at each other as if they had just won the Quidditch world cup before announcing simultaneously, "We've got advanced Herbology."
"Congratulations for this interesting discovery, gentlemen. I'd like to celebrate this precious moment with you, but there is this little advanced potions class I'd like to teach right now. So would you please be so kind, and leave this instant." Snape hadn't finished his sentence when Crabbe and Goyle were on their way to the door – half stumbling over each other.
After they had closed the door behind them, Snape turned to the rest of the class, and started his lesson.
-------
"Oh, I can't believe him. How dare he give me another two hours detention, besides the two for wearing Muggle clothes, just because I was trying to prevent Seamus' cauldron from exploding? It wasn't my fault that I tripped over Hannah's bag and knocked over Seamus' cauldron in the process. And then the slimy git ordered me to clean up the mess, instead of escorting them to the infirmary," a fuming Tiger Ryan ranted, on his way out of the dungeons after a horrible first potions lesson.
"It's your own fault, Tiger," Pansy replied from behind him. In his anger Tiger hadn't seen the other Slytherins waiting outside of the classroom for him. "You shouldn't have tried to help that Gryffindor poof. If I had known you would try to prevent the explosion, I wouldn't have-"
"You wouldn't have what?" Tiger swirled around and glared angrily at Pansy. "What did you do to Seamus' potion?"
"I- I- I-" Pansy stuttered, unable to speak under that intimidating glare.
"Oh for god's sake; she spiced it. So what's the problem?" Theodore Nott asked, annoyed.
"What's the problem?" Tiger turned to the boy and pinned him to the wall with his gaze. "Three students are in the infirmary because of her little joke. And do I have to remind you that one of them is DRACO?" Tiger shouted, before turning and storming away in the direction of the hospital wing.
-------
Ten minutes later, Tiger reached the infirmary to find a furious Ronald Weasley walking up and down in front of the door.
"Ron?" Tiger stepped up to the redhead.
"…won't let me in. I'm her boyfriend, a prefect-"
"Ron!"
"…won't even tell me what happened."
"Ronald Weasley!" Tiger all but shouted, to get the Gryffindor's attention.
"Oh, Tiger." Ron looked, surprised, at the Slytherin. "What are you doing here?"
"I want to know how they are."
"They? I thought it was just Hermione. Ernie said one of the Slytherins knocked over Seamus' potion and it hit Hermione. Whoever it was, they'll pay for it."
"That would be me, then," Tiger said apologetically.
"What?"
"It was me who knocked over Seamus' potion."
"But why? I thought-"
"It was an accident. I wanted to stop him from adding the batwings because there was something wrong with his potion. It was already green, but it shouldn't have been green until it was ready. I think it had too much pixy blood added, because that has the effect of turning a potion green. I don't know how it could have been added, because everybody knows that a single drop too much of pixy blood is enough to make a potion explode. But when you add a lot of pixy blood where it shouldn't be added, then-"
"Stop! Please, stop. I didn't quit potions to be talked deaf about it in my free time."
"Sorry."
"What I'd like to know, is how you knocked the potion over."
"I tripped." Tiger shrugged. "I think it was Hannah's bag."
"Tell me, Tiger, was it a dangerous potion?" Ron asked, a bit concerned.
"We were making ointment for Madam Pomfrey which is totally harmless if spilled, but I don't know what Seamus' mixture had for an effect."
"Do you think she will be okay?"
"They will all be okay," Tiger reassured him. "I assure you, if Madam Pomfrey doesn't know what to do, then Snape will do everything he can-"
"Snape? Are you kidding me? He won't do anything for a Gryffindor."
"Maybe not for a Gryffindor – which I doubt, by the way – but for his own godson he will do anything."
"His godson?"
"Draco was hit by the potion, too."
"Malfoy? He's Snape's-"
"Godson. Yes, Weasley you heard correctly." The two turned to the door of the infirmary to find Draco, Seamus, and Hermione standing there.
"'Mione!" Ron threw his arms around Hermione, and pulled her close to him.
"Draco, are you all right?" Tiger took a step closer to Draco and put a straying blond strand behind the blonde's ear, leaving his hand at the other boy's cheek afterwards.
"I'm fine," Draco said, leaning into the caress.
"I feel a bit out of place at the moment," Seamus said, bringing the attention of the others back to him.
"What did Pomfrey say?" Ron asked his girlfriend.
"It wasn't anything dangerous. A few healing spells, and everything was okay."
"I still don't know how it could have happened," Seamus said, a bit confused.
"You had too much pixy blood in your potion," Tiger explained.
"But I know that I added the right amount; three drops."
"And with just a few drops more, the potion would have exploded immediately," Draco added, looking questioningly at Tiger.
The dark haired boy just mouthed 'Pansy' to the blond before he turned to the other and said, "I could be mistaken, but I'm sure that I'll know by tomorrow. Snape will probably let me make the potion again, and let me write about what can happen when it is made incorrectly."
"Oh, right. You've got detention because of it. We should tell Professor Snape that you just wanted to help," Hermione said sympathetically.
"As if the greasy git would hear you out," Ron grumbled.
"Hey, Weasley; please be so kind as to avoid insulting our Head of House, who is also my godfather."
"How could I have forgotten, Malfoy," Ron said sarcastically. "Now we know why you're his favourite pet."
"That's enough," Tiger interrupted before Draco could reply. "Let's go to our next class. We are already far too late."
"Oh, damn it; and I've got Divination. Trelawney will want me to do a prediction in front of the whole class. I'm buggered."
Draco wanted to comment on Ron's whining, but a glare from Tiger kept his mouth closed; unused.
"Let's go, then."
-------
The rest of the day went by without incident. And far too quickly it was eight o'clock, and Tiger found himself crawling over the potions classroom floor, cleaning it once again.
Snape's last class of the day had been fifth year Gryffindors and Slytherins, and with Colin Creevey in this class, there was always the need of cleaning afterwards. Obviously Collin was just as bad in Potions as Neville Longbottom.
When Tiger was done with his cleaning, he walked over to the door at the front of the room leading to Snape's office.
"Sir? I'm done with the cleaning," Tiger announced, after knocking at the open door.
"Sit down," Snape said, without looking up from his grading.
Tiger walked into the room and sat down across from the Potion Master.
"Tell me, Mister Ryan," Snape began after nearly five minutes silence, "what caused the reaction of the spilled potion this morning?"
"To much pixy blood added, sir." Tiger answered, somewhat confused. Obviously Snape knew that there was a reason why the potion had another effect than intended. 'Why did he punish me when he knew that?'
"Exactly. Then maybe you can tell me how it was possible that Mr. Finnigan could make so large a mistake that he added at least three times as much pixy blood as necessary, but still not have the potion explode? I know that Gryffindors aren't the brightest, but Mister Finnigan is one of my best students; even better than that little know-it-all, Granger."
"I don't know what happened, sir."
"If that's so…" With that, Snape went back to ignoring Tiger, and continued grading the summer homework. "Incompetent brats."
Tiger sat there watching Snape swearing about 'useless students'. He couldn't keep a snigger from escaping, which caused Snape to look up. Instantly his expression changed to one of innocence. (Using both 'contain' and 'from escaping' is redundant. You could use ', however.)
"Do tell me, Mr. Ryan…" Snape began in a dangerously calm voice.
Tiger bit his lip to not respond unasked at this moment. One never knew what Snape was up to when he used that tone.
"…what do you know about Forgetfulness Potion?" the potion master continued.
Tiger smiled, remembering this particular potion from his exams in his first year. He hadn't been that good that time, but after he had reviewed everything, he knew this potion and its effect by heart.
"Despite its name, its effect isn't that someone would forget something, but that they wouldn't forget it. It is often used in interviews or in special classes where a lot of information is given. The effect lasts between one and three hours, depending on the extent of information one takes in. After that the knowledge isn't forgotten, but it isn't as clear as before; just like when one learns something, but only remembers the most important facts. I don't think it's against school rules to use this potion for classes, at least that's what my uncle told me when I used it for learning my Muggle school exams."
"You're right; it isn't against the rules. But you have to be careful because if you take it too often, you can become addicted to it."
"I know. That's why I always had to tell my uncle when I used it. He made sure that I didn't take it too often." Tiger paused for a moment, thinking about Sirius. 'He would have done it if he'd had the chance.'
"He was a good man obviously."
"Yes. He was the closest to a father I ever had."
"He taught you a lot about Potions, did he?"
"I've an Outstanding in my OWL's, after all," Tiger smirked, lightening the somewhat awkward atmosphere.
"I admit that you have quite a bit of knowledge about potions. Let's see what you can do with these." With that, he shoved a pile of parchments over to Tiger, and handed him quill and red ink. "These are the second year's summer homework about Forgetfulness Potion. I want you to mark them."
"But, sir, I never did that before. I wouldn't know how to mark them. They are at the beginning of their second year; I'm sure they just know the basics of this potion. I remember relearning it with a lot more detail a few years later."
"That's right; they did just know the basic information about the potion." Snape stood up and went to the bookshelves behind his desk. Within seconds he found what he needed, and sat back down. Handing Tiger the book, he said, "This is the book the students learned the potion from. Page 153."
"I don't know what you expect from your students," Tiger still protested.
"What would you expect from twelve year olds who have studied this potion for their exams?"
Tiger thought about that a moment then nodded, and started correcting the homework. It didn't take long for Tiger to know why Snape had had been swearing while he marked the homework. Some of them were really horrible. But others were really good. He enjoyed reading their explanations - all of them. For those that were wrong, he added the correct information, and for those that were really good, he gave a few bits of advice where the student could find some more information about the potion.
When he was done with the corrections Tiger handed the essays to Snape. While the Potions Master looked them through, Tiger sat totally still in his seat, nervously biting on his lower lip. He didn't really know why, but for some reason it was very important for him to get Snape's approval.
After nearly thirty minutes, the Potions Professor put the last parchment down, and looked at Tiger. For a moment they just stared at each other before Snape spoke.
"You liked marking the essays?"
"It was interesting to read what different knowledge the students have."
"You have written a lot of advice for both the good and the poor ones."
"I thought it would be good to give them some ideas to improve their knowledge. Some of them seem really interested in the subject, and others seemed to have totally misunderstood the assignment. There was this particular one from Gryffindor, I think it was Seamus Finnegan's sister Alexandra, who wrote her essay as if she was totally sure about what she wrote, but it was all wrong. Well, not wrong as in incorrect, but as if she had mixed up the potion. I read her homework and my first thought was that you had given different assignments to the students, but she still wrote about it as Forgetfulness Potion. I think what she had in mind when she wrote the essay was the Forget-me-not Potion. I haven't checked it because it just struck me, but I think it might be that one."
"Are you sure? The Forget-me-not Potion is sixth year standard."
"I know, I've read about it. That's why I thought it might be that potion."
Professor Snape rummaged a moment through the pile of parchments until he found the one by Alexandra Finnegan. He took his time to reread it before he turned back to Tiger. "You're right. It is a perfect explanation of the Forget-me-not Potion," Snape said, astonished.
Tiger smiled at Snape's reaction. He didn't know whether the professor's reaction was because of his discovery, or because of Alexandra's incredible knowledge of Potions.
"You have given her a 'Dreadful'. Why?" Snape asked, confused.
"She failed to answer the assigned homework, sir. I thought that was the appropriate thing to do."
"That's the normal way, yes. But you gave her the chance to redo it and to correct her mark."
"I thought it wasn't fair that she get a poor mark because she wrote about the wrong potion. If it had been incorrect I wouldn't have offered; if I weren't sure she does know about the Forgetfulness Potion. I'm sorry if I've exceeded my position." Tiger waited for Snape to rebuke him, but instead the Potions Master surprised him once again.
"You seem really interested in correcting the essays."
"Yes, I enjoyed reading someone else' understanding of Potions."
"Would you like to continue correcting the younger year's homework? God knows I can't stand their ignorance of Potions."
"Does that mean you are pleased with my work?"
"I though that was obvious by now," Snape said, somewhat annoyed.
"You really want me to help with the assignments?" Tiger asked, still sceptical.
"Do you really think I want to reread all those essays which you made them to rewrite?" Snape snarled.
"It seems I don't have a choice."
"Oh, don't get me wrong. You have a choice. You can either mark essays while you sit through your detention, or I'll find something for you to clean every day for the next two months," Snape sneered.
Tiger smiled, because this offer was a sign of Snape's acceptance of Tiger. His smile grew when he remembered Snape talking about the next two months.
"You have come to terms with my wearing muggle clothes." He smirked at Snape.
"Let's just say that I take it as a chance to get rid of the ignorance of some of my students."
"Then I think I will accept your offer, and I promise to do my best."
"I expect nothing less."
"Of course, sir."
"You may go now, Mr. Ryan."
"Thank you, sir. Good night." Tiger stood up and went to the door.
"Good night, Mr. Ryan."
Just before Tiger closed the door behind him, he turned back to Snape.
"Oh, and sweet dreams, Uncle Sevvie." He closed the door just before a curse hit it.
Laughing, Tiger went back to the Slytherin common room. 'That was my best detention ever,' Tiger thought. 'I hope the next will be just as good.'
And they would be.
x x x x x x x x x x x x x
A/N – That's it for now. What do you think?